Harry Potter and the Quest of the Apprentice
by Big-Band-Fan
Summary: First book of a series that takes place immediately after the last battle. Canon compliant. Rated T to be safe for the implied sex and some violence, but not violent sex. My first fic, so I could use the reviews. Enjoy. Now complete!
1. A Hero's Tears

**Disclaimer: This is my first fanfic, and really my first attempt at writing as a hobby. Therefore, it may suck horribly. You have been warned.**

A Hero's Tears

Harry was numb, exhausted, and completely heartbroken. All around him evidence of the recent battle was strewn with bits of glass and stone, not to mention the occasional smear of blood along the walls. As he walked down the corridors staggering into the walls and random people he heard nothing, and felt even less. Faces he barely recognized passed him and smiled, mouthing unheard words of congratulations; he passed them all trudging on to somewhere, anywhere but here. Without taking notice to where his feet are taking him he arrived at the portrait of the Fat Lady. The portrait was vacated and it stood open showing the hole in the wall to the Gryffindor common room. Harry hoisted himself in and made his way through the familiar room to the staircase that he took to the boy's dormitory and his four-poster bed. He threw himself on top of the bed, head buried in the pillow allowing the memories of the past four years to wash over him. He saw all those that have been killed at his hands; Cedric, Sirius, Remus and Tonks, Fred, Dobby, Mad-Eye and countless other faces that flashed before his eyes reminding him of what he had lost. The tears came freely and he made no motion to stop them, instead he cried openly allowing his sobs to escape him and echo in the small chamber.

Ron looked down at the floor he was helping clear and his heart sank, filling his chest with dread when he saw an arm jutting from slabs of stone. "Hey" Ron's voice squeaked out "there's someone here." After a moment he was surrounded by equally disheartened young men who helped gently lift the stone from mangled body laying there. Seamus bent over the girl and with the delicacy of a surgeon lifted the body and carried it to the alcove where the dead were being laid for later identification. Ron watched the lifeless body in Seamus' arms jostle slightly as he walked; rubbing the stinging from his eyes Ron noticed a quivering form in the corner, a girl face in her arms and whose shoulders were being attacked by heavy sobs.

Hermione could not stop crying. She was able to compose herself and help the efforts of the students and staff until she found the body of Colin Creevey. She stopped there and stared at him, his eyes were closed and his mouth slightly agape giving the illusion that he may just be asleep. She even tried to wake him up. Now she was inconsolable, she hid her face in her arms drawing her knees to her chest she cried silent, violent weeps that shook her body with effort. She felt an arm being tenderly placed around her shoulders, looking up she saw a freckled face surrounded by a shock of red hair. Hermione clung to Ron as though he were a lifeguard pushing her face into his chest continuing her crying while Ron whispered soothing words into her hair.

Ginny stood beside Neville as professor McGonagall conjured a stretcher out of mid-air and levitated Padma Patil onto it.

"Professor I can take her" said Neville wearily.

"Thank you Neville" the beleaguered witch answered. She wiped the sweat that had beaded on her brow and proceeded to follow him back up to the castle.

"Professor have you seen Harry?" Ginny called after McGonagall.

"I saw him heading to the common room a few minutes ago" Neville answered from further up the hill.

Ginny nodded and marched up the stone steps to the entrance hall and along the familiar halls to her common room. Soon she was climbing through the portrait hole into the deserted common room searching for the messy-haired boy she so longed to see. When she was winding her way up the spiral stairs to the boy's dormitory she heard the unmistakable sounds of weeping. Pushing open the door to the dormitory, she saw him.

"Harry?" She inquired tentatively.

"Go away" came the sullen response.

"Harry, it's Ginny." "Can I come in?"

"Why would you want to, I killed your brother."

The words he threw at her hurt, no matter how untrue they were. Ginny knew Harry was innocent of her brother's murder, like he was guiltless of the countless casualties in this war.

"Harry, you didn't…" Ginny started but the thought of her brother came flooding back like an icy wave that engulfed her and threatened to take the breath right from her chest.

"You see, even you know it's true" came the muffled reply.

"Harry it wasn't your fault" Ginny pleaded, throwing her pride to the wind she strode over to the bed and sat down near his midsection; she put her hand on his back and lowered her head to the back of his. "Harry please listen to me" her voice quivered. She willed it to be strong. "Fred wanted this."

Harry scoffed.

"No, really" she started. She was beginning to get frustrated as a result she turned him over a little more forcefully than she intended. "Listen to me. Fred died trying to make this world better for you, me and everyone else out there." Ginny looked down at the boy fiercely. "And you spit on his memory when you say he died for anything less." Her composure was waning now and her eyes became moist at the effect she was having on him. His face full of guilt, and his eyes remarkably dry and breathtakingly green.

"Ginny… I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that Fred died for nothing. I just have seen so much death and I can't help but to feel it's all my fault."

"Well it's not" Ginny stated simply. "Voldemort killed those people not you." When it looked like he was going to say something else she put her finger to his lips and said, "We all knew the risks when we decided that the world with Voldemort was no world at all."

Harry lifted her hand and entwined their fingers. "Thank you Ginny."

"You're welcome; now quit being such a prat and get up."

Harry laughed and swung his legs off the bed and stood facing Ginny hand still clasped.

"You're something else, you know that Ginny" Harry stated.

"I know" Ginny smirked.

Harry smiled and pushed a stray hair from her face. Ginny leaned into his hand and closed her eyes.

"I missed you a lot" she said opening her eyes. Her rich chocolate eyes met the emerald coloured of Harry's.

"I know" he replied breaking into a wide grin

"Oh, you." "That's all you have to say." she shouted in mock indignation beating his chest playfully until he was able to corral her arms pulling her close.

"I missed you too" Harry responded quietly. He tilting his head to one side while closing his eyes to kiss Ginny softly on the lips.

"Oi!" someone shouted from the door. "I thought I told you-"

"Relax Ron, we're back together" Harry replied in kind. "I mean if you will have me back" he added hastily to Ginny.

"Don't be stupid, of course I will take you back."

**AN: Ok, that is it. I have some ideas about where I could take this as a series, but I would like feedback from anyone who reads this to tell me if I should keep going.**


	2. A Feast in the Midst of Famine

**Due to a couple popular requests I decided to keep going... obviously. I am brainstorming as I go which will probably delay postings to about once a week or every other. Anyway, enjoy.**

Chapter 2: A Feast in the Midst of Famine

_Three days after the final battle._

Harry was not happy, but there was no longer the suffocating force of fear or sadness there. He turned his head back to the front of the Great Hall. It was unrecognizable. The walls were pock-marked from awry spells, the tables were thinned by half. No longer in four columns but in one, unifying row. The students from Slytherin had yet to return, even after three days, which led to Professor McGonagall make their table disappear with the other unused section of table and bench. The Great Hall was now configured in an oblong circle configuration with the teacher's table raised slightly at the head and three tables completing the shape, with the flanking tables a little longer.

"Harry are you ok" asked a beautiful voice at his back.

Having been abruptly brought back to reality he jumped slightly, knocking his goblet of pumpkin juice onto Hermione across from him. Ron's reaction was so violent that when he stood up quickly the force of him hitting the table upset nearly everyone's goblets.

"Blimey Harry what's the matter with you" asked a flushed Ron who tried to wipe the juice from his girlfriend's robes, temporarily unaware of his proximity to her unmentionables.

"Thank you Ron, I can manage from here" whispered a blushing Hermione, clearing the mess with a wave of her wand.

"Are you ok" asked the beautiful voice again.

"Yeah Gin just thinking, that's all" said Harry giving a half smile. She seemed to understand because she did not push the point further.

"Well try not to do that anymore mate" said a recovered Ron "you nearly soaked everyone in the hall."

"Me?" "It was your gracefulness that tipped the table" retorted a grinning Harry.

Just as Ron was about to come at him again Hermione shushed them all nodding to the head table where Professor McGonagall was standing with raised hands to announce her wish of silence. When the Hall quieted she continued.

"Good evening to all" she began, her voice filling the cathedral-like room "first I would like to express the heartfelt sorrow I share with all of you for our fallen family and friends." "There is evil in this world and there is no blinking at that, we have however risen above this most recent tragedy and will do so again." There was a deafening roar of applause and scraping of benches as all the students stood to their feet to show their feelings too. Full minutes of applause died slowly before Professor McGonagall was allowed to continue. "Furthermore, I appreciate very much all the students and staff that have sacrificed their summer break to stabilize our beloved Hogwarts." "This farewell dinner will not be the last here at Hogwarts and I have you to thank for that" she was looking at all of her pupils, but seeming to lingering on Harry for a fraction of a second longer than the rest. She finished with the announcement that there would be a memorial service tomorrow to honor the fallen. "If everyone would wear their school robes, I think that will do nicely" she ended with a curt nod and the food appeared, magnificent as ever.

"Ginny, do you think we should tell mum and dad before tomorrow" Ron asked, mouth full of shepherd's pie.

"Honestly Ron swallow first" scolded Hermione.

"No they probably know about it already" responded Ginny daintily pulling a thigh from the pile of baked chicken.

"Yeah probably" Ron agreed after swallowing a massive spoonful of greens.

When all of the other students had left to crawl under warm blankets in their dorms, Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione remained behind talking and laughing about earlier times. Hermione was the first to notice the growing hours and suggested that they push off to bed, all of which agreed. They walked up to the common room arm-in-arm, to each their match, until they reached the portrait of The Fat Lady.

"Funny that she hasn't been found yet" remarked Ginny.

"Well she isn't very well missing is she" responded Ron.

"What do you mean" inquired Hermione from his arm.

"Me and Harry found her yesterday, didn't we Harry?"

"Yeah, well kind of." Harry answered starting to smile "she seemed to be rather enjoying herself riding with Sir Cadogan."

Ron chortled "you should've seen the horse though, he looked like he was going to suffer a coronary." They all laughed at that, and once they had finished they were standing beside the stairs to the girls dormitory.

"G'night 'Mione" Ron cooed kissing Hermione on the lips. Hermione blushed and giggled before clapping her hand over her mouth and slapping Ron on the shoulder hissing that she told him not to call her that. He grinned and winked bidding her farewell with a kiss on her hand. He turned to walk up the boy's stairs calling out to Harry and Ginny, "I'm not going anywhere until I see you go to bed" he said sternly pointing a finger at Harry.

Harry turned back to Ginny who was offering her cheek to kiss, Harry obliged. As he was leaning in at the last minute she whipped her head to face him, putting her hand on the back of his head pulling him to her lips. Thirty seconds after she raised herself to the tips of her toes she broke away leaving him at the bottom of the stairs breathless, and her brother speechless. Harry pulled the still pointing Ron up the stairs after him.

**AN: Ok guys this is it. It's kind of bad and I ask that you bear with me as I try to find my writing style. This one is short, I know but they get back to the 1,000 or so words later. Ok, until next week. By the way, I will always take time to read the constructive critisism I recieve. I'm new at this so I would appreciate it. **


	3. A Friend's Faithfulness

Chapter 3: A Friend's Faithfulness

Harry woke early the next morning. He laid listening to the sounds of his roommate's snores. He had lived with these men long enough to know the sound of each individual snore, which made him smile. Managing to sit up and look about for his glasses he found them on top of his gold watch Ron's mum gave him last year. He clasped it around his wrist and pulled on a pair of jeans before walking down to the common room. Harry had grown accustom to sleeping in just pajama bottoms without a shirt, so he did not think anything of walking down to the common room bare-chested.

Hermione was awake long before the rest of the girls in the room. She had been dreaming of her parents. She dreamt of them quite regularly, and most of them were filled with angry faces and mean words of what she had done to them. The most recent one last night was a shouting match that ended in them kicking her out and refusing to speak to her again. She stifled a sob in her pillow and threw the covers off to get dressed and take the morning air. Once clothed, she walked down the stairs to the common room occasionally pushing the tears from her eyes. She walked to the edge of the last step and saw Harry sitting on the chair furthest from the stairs staring into nothingness. "Harry, what are you doing up" she called out.

Harry jumped up, obviously startled, "Oh, hey Hermione" said Harry back. Becoming aware of his state of undress began to cover himself.

"Never mind all that Harry, it's me" admonished Hermione.

"Right" said Harry quickly "What are you doing here" he asked.

"I asked you first" replied Hermione with a watery smile. She made her way off the last step and walked towards the fireplace and the sofa in front of it.

"What's wrong?" asked Harry. "Why are you crying?"

"Oh, it's nothing… it's" her chin started to quiver and she sunk into the couch raising her hands to her face weeping openly now. "It's m-my parents" she stuttered "I d-don't think they'll l-love me any-(hic)-more."

"No Hermione, of course they will still love you" said Harry quickly rushing over to her side. When he sat down she grabbed his arm and cried into his shoulder. Slightly alarmed he began patting her back trying to soothe her. "Hermione your parents will always love you."

"You d-don't und-(hic)-erstand" she hiccupped "I lied t-to them, Harry" "I used m-magic on them."

"Hermione, look at me" Harry said strongly taking her by the elbows. "You gave them the best chance for survival." "You saved them, without you sending them to Australia they would have been killed, or worse." A shadow passed over his face when he added those last two words. After a moment it lifted and he finished, "They will forgive you, parents cannot stop loving their children."

"Thanks Harry" she sniffed.

"And besides" he continued "if they don't you can always fix their memorieslater."

She gave a chuckle and wiped her eyes. "You're a good friend, Harry" she said as she wrapped him in a hug.

"What are you two doing" shouted a voice from the stairs to the boy's dormitory. Harry turned around and saw a very red-faced Ron starting down the stairs toward them.

"Hey Ron" said Harry standing to meet his friend "I was just-"

The smack of a fist on flesh was followed by a groan from Harry and a scream from Hermione. Dazed, Harry fell to the floor where he saw Hermione holding back Ron trying to explain herself. Hearing none of it, Ron continued to try to get at Harry. He pushed Hermione aside roughly, luckily only into an overstuffed armchair. Seamus and Dean came thundering down the stairs to intercept Ron before he was able to continue beating Harry. Hermione rolled off the chair next to Harry to see if he was hurt.

"You see, she went right to him" shouted Ron over the din, a manic expression on his face. Seamus and Dean both had an arm, but Ron's incessant thrashing made it difficult for either of them to fully quell his struggles. Hermione switched her attentions from Harry to Ron and drew her wand. Seeing this, Seamus and Dean both released Ron and dove in different directions before Hermione could cast the full body bind on Ron.

"_Patrificus Totalus_" screamed Hermione.

Ron's arms and legs snapped together and his back straightened, rigid as a board; as such he fell to the floor, crashing on his back. Ron's eyes still danced wildly. They still had an air of unquenchable anger even as tears started to form. Harry got up and put a hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"Don't you dare defend him" she screeched hysterically "His jealousy and temper have finished us." She stormed off through the gaggle of girls that had gathered at the base of the stairs.

"Harry are you alright?" Seamus put a hand on his roommate's shoulder. Harry, meanwhile, stared down at his best friend and watched his eyes change from anger and hatred to sorrow and complete horror. He turned to Seamus and Dean,

"Help me carry him up to the dorm" Harry commanded quietly. Once the three had dropped Ron on his bed, Harry asked Seamus and Dean to leave. After the door was shut behind them and Harry was sure they had gone back downstairs he turned to his friend.

"You've really done it now, haven't you mate" Harry stated solemnly. "How could you think I, your best friend, could betray you like that." Ron's eyes were now swimming with tears.

"_Finite_" muttered Harry with a casual flick of his wand in Ron's direction.

With a gasp Ron sat up and stared at Harry, the residual moisture leaking down his cheeks. "Harry I saw you with her" he stated plainly "you and her were together on the sofa… you didn't have a shirt on… and hugging, what was I supposed to think?"

"Gee Ron, maybe you should have trusted your best mate a little, and shown Hermione some respect to know she would never run around on you" Harry answered without remorse at the hurt look on Ron's face. "She loves you Ron, and you'd be thinker than a troll not to know it" Harry continued as Ron looked down into his hands. "You have to be absolutely daft to think she has eyes for anyone but you."

Ron's head twitched at the words, he moved his attention and picked at his pajama top. "I'm sorry Harry" he moped "I shouldn't have acted that way." "But" he looked up at him pleading, "you can understand right?" "I'm not completely in the wrong, am I?"

"No" Harry replied slowly, "I reckon any bloke would have snapped in similar circumstances." Ron raised his head hopefully.

"Thanks mate" he said simply.

Harry waved him off "but right now we need to get you and Hermione back together" he ended with a small smile.

Ron's face broke into a smile "You are going to do that for me" Ron asked almost pleadingly "even after…"

"Bloody hell" Harry almost shouted "I'm not doing anything for you; I'm just going to watch" Harry fully grinned at this.

"Thanks mate" Ron said sheepishly. He got up from the bed and crossed the room to quickly embrace his friend. "You know you never did deny it" Ron said once they backed away.

"Don't make me hex you" Harry threatened seriously, but with a toothy smile.

"How's your head, by the way" Ron asked tentatively.

"It will get better once I see what Hermione will do to you" Harry retorted.

Ron's head snapped to that and Harry could not help but to laugh at his friends worried face.

**Ok everyone, that's that for number three. I have a few more chapters done and I may bite into those if my graded writing takes the same amount of time and brain power it's been taking. So, until next week or so, keep your powder dry.**

**PS. If any of you know a beta (preferably British, or at least some type of European) I'd be much obliged. I'm American (and proud of it) but getting the dialogue down with an accent of my own is tougher than I thought. **


	4. A Growing Pain

**Ok guys I know I said it would be a little while but I went ahead and posted sooner rather than later. Oh, and before you can read this chapter you must thank a veteran. I don't care if you don't like war, or don't support the war they were involved in, they deserve your gratitude and respect. To any readers I have that were sailors, soldiers, airmen, or marines; past or present: I thank you.**

Chapter 4: A Growing Pain

Neither Harry nor Ron saw Hermione at breakfast an hour later. Ginny came down and was shocked to say the least that the friends were sitting together and having a quiet discussion amongst themselves.

"Wait" she started when she approached the table "Were you two not fighting an hour ago?"

"Yeah, but we made up" Harry responded with a laugh. "Hey you" he added to Ginny and kissed her on the cheek, which Ron avoided noticing by becoming alarmingly interested in his eggs.

"Have you seen Hermione" Ron asked sheepishly once he decided it was safe to look at the couple again.

"Only briefly" Ginny answered. "She was coming down the hall when I was going the other way." "What did you do this time?"

Ron hung his head again "I overreacted" he said glumly. "I saw Harry and Hermione in the common room hugging." "But Harry didn't have a shirt on" he added quickly at the skeptical look Ginny gave him.

"He did, did he" Ginny asked casting a murderous glare Harry's way.

"I just woke up, I didn't reckon anyone else would be there" Harry said throwing his hands up in defense.

Turning on Ron, "Did you really think Harry would do that to you" she asked heatedly.

"It didn't really occur to me that it was Harry" Ron said ashamedly "I just saw a bloke hugging my girl, and I flipped out." Ron stabbed moodily at his food.

"Hit my boyfriend again and I'll turn your nose into a bat cave" she said wagging her finger at him.

"Easy killer" chuckled Harry pretending to hold his girlfriend back. "Let's save the Bat Bogie hex for someone who deserves it, shall we."

The three spent their breakfast scheming on how to get Ron and Hermione back together, with much of the talking coming from Harry and Ginny, but Ron mostly looked moodily out the window and only nodding when his opinion was asked.

"Ron" Ginny snapped "what are you thinking about, don't you want Hermione back?" "You have to help" she finished with a huff.

Ron stared blankly at his sister. A tear escaped his eye and he stated surprisingly clear and strong. "'Course I want her back" "but maybe I shouldn't have her." When he added the last phrase Ginny's expression softened as she looked on her brother. "All I seem to do is make her mad, or cry." "She doesn't deserve the pain I give her."

"Ron" she started, with a voice softer than Harry had ever heard "she needs you." "You are a stupid git most of the time, but I can see the love between you two." "No one else can make her feel the way you do." She took his hand so he would look at her "I know you know how not to be a prat" she said with a half smile. When Ron smiled and tried to look away she pursued, "you are the only one she wants, I know" she added "she talks in her sleep" Ginny said while blushing.

"Hah" Ron sniffed. "Thanks Ginny." "I need to go find Hermione" Ron smiled and wiped his eyes. "I'm just going to go and talk to her, and pray she'll listen."

"Hurry though we need to get to the ceremony soon" Ginny called after him.

Ron walked up to the common room, seeing no one along the way. He approached the Fat Lady's portrait and was surprised to see that she had decided to return to her home at the entrance of the Gryffindor common room.

"Password" she trilled horribly.

"There isn't one, it's summer" Ron explained.

"Oh, so it is" she replied dreamily swinging forward to allow him access. Ron clambered through and sped right to the base of the stairs to the girls dormitory.

"Hermione" he shouted "Hermione, I need to talk to you." When he heard no response he continued, raising his voice further "Hermione I'm sorry." "I was a presumptuous berk" he bellowed. There was still no reply, Ron slumped against the wall and looked at the ground. "I'm sorry" he wailed again.

"Glad you noticed" said a quiet voice from the corner.

Ron's head jerked up "Hermione!" He sprung off the wall he was leaning on and made to rush toward her, but the leg of a nearby love seat snagged his boat-like foot so that he sprawled onto the carpet at her feet.

"Are you ok" Hermione asked with genuine concern in her voice. She bent over him and helped him to his feet, momentarily forgetting she was mad at him. Once she realized she was reneging on her anger she let go so quickly that he nearly fell to the floor again. "What do you want Ron" she asked regaining her defensive posture.

Ron, taken aback only slightly at the change in her demeanour, decided to go for broke, throwing all caution and pride before the wind. "I love you" he nearly shouted.

She was visibly shocked at the words she heard. She stood there mouth open and eyes staring at the freckled lad in front of her. He said in a softer voice "Hermione I know I have hurt you, I know I have been bloody stupid about everything with you." He took her hands in his after a moment's hesitation she allowed it. "Give me a chance to prove to you that I am only for you." Tears were welling in her eyes, she jerked her hands away from Ron to brush the offending wetness from her face.

"You need to grow up Ron" she started on him "I am not a property that can just be expected to cope with all the rubbish you bring." Ron hung his head in guilt

"I know tha-"

"There's no excuse Ron" she interrupted. "I need you to be a man, my man. When you're with me you can't go off all the time and expect me to be all right with it"

Ron raised his head and a wide grin spread across his face.

"What" she snapped.

"You said 'when'" he said loosening up.

"Yes, well- no, you see-" she stammered in the wake of his beaming smile.

"She said 'when', she said 'when'" Ron repeated over and again in a sing-song voice dancing around her in a circle.

"Oh shut up" Hermione said trying to hide her own smile while attempting to tackle the dancing Ron. She managed to jump on his back shouting that he was not being very mature.

Once she was settled trying to quiet his ranting Ron stopped suddenly and shifted her around his waist so that her legs were wrapped around is middle and her hands were clasped behind his head.

"Hermione I'm sorry" he whispered softly to her.

"I know" she answered leaning her head against his chest, gripping her arms more securely around his neck and shoulders.

"So I guess you two are back together" said a bored voice from behind them.

Ron was not bothered by the recent appearance of an audience. "Bugger off Dean" he replied simply not taking his eyes off the girl in his arms.

**That's that for this chapter. Please review, I won't even mind if you tell me it sucked (as long as you tell me why). Still looking for a brit if anyone wants to volunteer. **


	5. A Rememberance of the Fallen

**I just remembered what this chapter contained. I thought it was more fitting for Veteran's Day so I edited and posted super quick.**

Chapter 5: A Remembrance of the Fallen

The day belied the solemness of the occasion. The clear, blue sky shone with a brilliance Hogwarts had not known for many months with the presence of the mist created by the Dementors. The sun brightly lit every blade of grass and threw shimmering waves off the nearby lake, it seemed to mock them all and their heartache at the gravesite of so many.

Dumbledore's marble tomb stood behind the podium and stage in severe contrast to the black coverings over the stand and platform. Black chairs stood in uniform rows that were filled with blacked robed students and their parents. Weeping could be heard over the general murmur including Hagrid's trumpet-like nose blowing from the back row. Harry sat with Ginny and her family, including Charley all the way from Albania. Ron was on the other side of the Weasleys with Hermione, who was dabbing underneath her eyes with a familiar stained handkerchief. George was sitting next to his father, stone faced and silent. He neither cried nor tried to act normally, he simply sat and stared. Before the service started Professor McGonagall approached Harry.

"Excuse me Potter," she greeted "would you mind saying a few words after Mr. Dodge?"

Surprised by the request, Harry stammered his worries "Professor, I, er, haven't prepared anything." "I wouldn't know what to say." He added lamely.

"Nonsense Potter, you are the reason we all fought, you are the saviour of our world." McGonagall said sternly. With that last statement she strode off to the line of chairs behind the podium, leaving Harry' mind to work feverishly to think of something to say.

"Greetings to all gathered here this afternoon for this most somber of days." The wizard that started speaking was the same as the one at Dumbledore's funeral, Harry wondered if he made a career of speaking at funerals. Harry could hardly hear the speaker he was concentrating so hard. That same soul crushing guilt that filled him the day after the final battle was pressing against him again; his insides squirmed and his face cooled, even under the June sun. A small hand found its way under Harry's linking his fingers with the smaller set. He looked down and on his right was Ginny looking up at him. She gave him a small, watery smile and squeezed his hand before looking back up to the front.

"As such, we are required to remember these that are lain here." Elphias Dodge finished with a strength in his voice Harry had not heard. Dodge left the stage and returned to his seat before Harry realized all was quiet, and the quiet was for him. He released Ginny reluctantly and walked to the front of the audience in the midst of the stares and whispers he had grown so accustom to endure in his life.

He reached the podium and saw Minister Shacklebolt, the funeral speaker, Professor McGonagall, another witch he did not recognize, and one more wizard that seemed familiar, but as if from a dream. Harry turned and gazed out at the people gathered, with his heart thumping in his throat he started.

"Er, hi." He said unevenly. Harry saw out of the corner of his eye Professor McGonagall hid her face in her hand. Someone in the audience coughed and Harry shuffled his feet before beginning again.

"Right, well I'm not much of a speaker so I will try to make this a short as possible" Harry said with only minimally more confidence. "When I was asked to say something this afternoon" he paused looking at the faces. All of them were looking back at him. He broke stride and started in a new vein "these men and women behind me" he said gesturing to the line of coffins "deserve our thanks." "They deserve our praise and we owe them our lives, because they gave theirs for us, for me" he said the last two words quieter than the rest, but everyone heard. "I was told that these brave people fought for me" he shook his head slightly "these people fought for something so much greater." "They fought for peace and justice in a cruel and unjust world, they died protecting the people and freedom they love." Harry gripped the sides of the stand to stay his shaking hands "I know I will never be able to repay them, but I'm going to live the rest of my life trying to." "Thank you." Harry left the stage and started walking back to his seat, the stunned crowd one by one got to their feet to express their agreement.

The applause lasted only a few seconds and once it stopped the Minister took the stage again to send everyone off. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all stood and faced the rest of the Weasleys.

"Harry that was beautiful" blubbered Mrs. Weasley as she wrapped Harry in a very wet, very tight hug.

"Thanks Mrs. Weasley" murmured Harry appealing to Ginny for relief.

"All right mum, let him breathe" said Ginny taking her mother by the shoulders and depositing her on her husband. "We'll be back home after a while, I think Harry will want to talk for a while" Ginny explained to her mother.

"Don't be too long though; I'll need everyone's help to make up the rooms" Mrs. Weasley called over her shoulder as she was shuttled to the edge of the grounds.

Ginny waved goodbye to her parents and looked around to find Harry. She saw him down by the lake, alone. She beckoned Ron and Hermione over and all three walked down to his side beneath the beech tree where happier times were once spent.

"Hey you" Ginny whispered slipping her arms around his waist. He flinched involuntarily at the contact. "What's wrong" she asked, turning him around to face her.

"Nothing" he responded attempting a smile down at her. She did not believe him.

"Don't shut me out, talk to me Harry" she pleaded.

"It's nothing" Harry started, propping himself beneath the tree. "I just feel sad is all."

"I know, me too" she told him while sliding against him, finding a place to nestle inside of his arm. They stayed that way for a time, not saying anything just enjoying each other's presence.

"Blimey, give it a rest you two" Ron said from the right, coming down the hill with his arm around Hermione.

"Oh, leave them be Ron" Hermione scolded. "We should probably head to the Burrow soon, your mum is bound to get worried" she added to the group.

"Mm, yes I think we should" Ginny said but made not motion to get up.

Harry laughed, getting himself up he picked Ginny up and cradled her like a baby. "Come now baby, and I'll give you a bottle before I put you down for a nap" he said laughing.

"That's it Potter you are going to get it now" she exclaimed, thrashing until Harry had to put her down. Harry ran to the edge of the grounds and disapperated into nothingness. Ginny followed popping into view in the field next to the Burrow, rather where the Burrow was. All that was left of the Weasley home was a charred chimney that stuck crookedly into the sky without anything around it.

Ginny gasped and ran to the spot where her house was.

"Ginny, no" Harry shouted running after her.

**BUM BUM BUM!! Yeah first cliff-hanger of the story. Review and criticize all you want. One last thanks to all our veterans.**

**PS. Calling all limeys. Seriously I'm just taking random colloquialisms and throwing them together, I could use the help. **


	6. A Unknown Apprentice

**I know it should be 'An Unknown Apprentice' but, being the author, I get to have creative license over the title. Sometimes I get so creative that the title has very little to do with the actual chapter, just so you know. (Not this one though, this actually has a lot to do with the story.)**

Chapter 6: A Unknown Apprentice

The man that stared out of his window was not healthy. He could not be. His skin was pale and dry, hanging from his bones. His eyes were sunken into their sockets, appearing to be on the verge of being enveloped by his unnaturally prominent cheek bones at any time. When he walked his shuffling gait was halting, hampered by a leg that seemed to be unwilling to move until he pounded on it with a withered hand. The man, who was not old but the days of his youth had long since passed, muttered to himself, as if talking to someone beside him.

"'Course I know the risks" he said quietly "I'm the one who told you the consequences if we get caught." He stumped to the other window to gain a field of vision of the grassland that surrounds the house and continues to the horizon, where he could see the faint outline of a crooked shape jutting obtusely from the landscape.

"Yes I'm sure he's there, he's been staying there for the lesser part of his life" the man hissed at himself. "Why don' you make use of yourself and cast it." The man straightened as much as his humped figure would allow and waved his wand wildly, almost carelessly, and muttered the incantation. Whisps of yellow and bright orange crept from the end of his wand; heads of different animals and beasts appeared and disappeared just as quick before the yellow-orange vapor that filled the room vanished.

"There" he rasped, "that ought to do it."

_

* * *

_

Ginny was running wildly through the waist-length grass, splashing through puddles and tripping over twisted grass stems. She did not know what she was doing, or what she was going to do when she got there; she just had to get there. She ripped her clothes and scratched her hands on the particularly sharp blades. Her house, her home with her parents and brothers, with all her childhood memories lay in smoldering ruins. She knew enough to pull out her wand when she reached the perimeter of the ashen remains. She ran around the chimney and was immediately swept up and embraced by her father whom she clung to for dear life as she poured her eyes into his shoulder.

"W-w-what h-happened" Ginny wailed into her father's shoulder.

"We don't know Ginny, we had just gotten home and inside when this roar came from outside" her father soothed, patting her head absently "we were headed for the door to see but then the whole back of the house blew up." Mr. Weasley shuddered at the thought. "I managed to get your mum and me out, but by the time I turned back around the whole house was on fire." His eyes were glazed as he recounted the event, reliving it.

Harry managed to catch up with Ginny at this point and approached the pair. "Is everyone ok, Mr. Weasley" Harry asked breathless and clutching the stitch in his side, trying to fill his burning lungs with air.

"Yes" Mr. Weasley gasped, clinging tighter to his daughter. "Molly and I were the only two home. I c-can't imagine…" his voice trailed off as his eyes filled with fresh tears. After a time he cleared his throat and held Ginny at arm's length giving her a watery smile. "Why don't you two go see to Ginny's mum" he offered "I need to go make arrangements with Tom at the Leaky Cauldron." He let go of Ginny and made to walk off.

Harry, thinking quickly, "No, you lot come with me to Grimauld Place" he said hastily to the swiftly departing Mr. Weasley. "There's more than enough room, and I would consider it an honour" he added hastily to the skeptical face Mr. Weasley made.

"That's very generous of you Harry, but we couldn't impose ourselves like that" Mr. Weasley said behind kind eyes. "We'll be just fine a-"

"Damn your pride, Mr. Weasley" Harry shouted. He did not intend to get this indignant, but his emotions were running high at the moment.

"Harry, it's n-" the stunned Mr. Weasley started.

Harry cut him off again, "you and Mrs. Weasley are the closet I've got to parents. Your sons are as good as my brothers and Ginny i-" "Well, no Ginny is nothing like my sister" he rethought. "But I will not allow my family to go without, not when I can help."

Mr. Weasley was flabbergasted. "Do you mean that Harry" he asked in a small voice.

"More than anything" Harry replied replied calmly, albeit breathing heavily.

Mr. Weasley gave a small smile and a nod "Right, well I'll go and tell Molly, shall I" he said marching past Harry and Ginny. When he reached Harry he stopped and looked at him, oopening his mouth once before reaching out and wrapping him in a hug that Mrs. Weasley would have cringed to see. "Thank you" Mr. Weasley whispered before releasing Harry and continuing his march past Harry and Ginny.

"That was nice of you" said Ginny looking up at him tears still rolling down her cheeks

"I meant every word" he told her taking her into his arms stroking the back of her head as she listened to the beating of his heart.

While the family had eventually gathered around the ashes it took some time before the entire family was briefed on the events of that day. By the time the last Weasley, invariably it was Ron and Hermione, was caught up to what happened it was supper time.

"I'll go first with Bill to make sure it's relatively safe" Mr. Weasley said to the group.

"Let me tell Kreatcher first" Harry answered back. "Kreatcher" He called loudly.

With a crack Kreatcher stood before them as disgusting as ever, with a little less hair on his head but more in his ears. His great bloodshot eyes finding Harry before lowering his long nose to his toes. "Kreatcher was summoned by master" Kreatcher wheezed from his toes.

"It's good to see you again, Kreatcher" Hermione offered.

"The mudblood speaks to Kreatcher" he croaked glancing up to Hermione.

"Kreatcher you will not call Hermione a mudblood" ordered Harry.

"As you wish master" Kreatcher bowed again.

"Now" Harry began "I am going to need you to help Mr. Weasley and Bill make sure the house is safe, they are going to be staying with us for a while."

"Kreatcher is to show the blood traitors the things the bad men left" Kreatcher interpreted.

"No" Harry shouted, he was getting aggravated "the Weasleys are our friends, they are not traitors." "Don't call them that anymore" Harry finished glaring at Kreatcher.

"Yes, master" Kretcher responded.

"Maybe you could start preparing some dinner after" he asked. "Please" Harry added upon glancing at Hermione.

"Yes master" Kreatcher repeated before disappearing with a crack.

"Now that's settled; shall we" Mr. Weasley asked brightly, clapping his hands together looking at his eldest son.

The cleaning surprisingly took less than half an hour before Bill apperated back to the group and announced the safeness to have a dinner before bed. Upon the request of Bill, they all apperated back separately, or in the case of Harry, Ron, and Ginny with someone that legally could perform the maneuver. Harry was grasped around the shoulder by the eldest brother, while Ginny embraced her insistent mother and Ron allowed himself to be carried away by Hermione. Ron and Hermione left first followed by Harry and Bill with Mrs. Weasley and Ginny close behind. George and Charlie rounded out the group and disappeared to reappear at the same time on the front step of the invisible house. The two brothers followed the retreating form of their mother into the house.

**Okey Dokey, number six done. I would be glad to hear what you have to say about it, so... let me know. Still need that Brit, you don't have to correct anything I just need some help with the British dialogue. **


	7. A Home in a House

**"Happy Thanksgiving" said Number 7 with a big grin.**

Chapter 7: A Home in a House

When Harry entered the house of his late godfather he saw utter destruction. The furniture, deemed too big to steal, was overturned with slashes and gouges deep in the cushions. The sofas and chairs had been turned into strips and lumps of fabric and wood. Everything that was not nailed down or permanently charmed to the walls was stripped, the walls themselves were charred black in places and in others pieces were simply knocked out.

"Oh Harry" Hermione gasped. "This is horrible, I-I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, me too" Harry said, still stunned from the shock of walking into his wholly gutted house.

"Well it's not going to clean itself" Ron announced bending over to pick up an empty firewhiskey bottle that had lodged under a section of the loveseat. "C'mon George, you and me will take the living room." "Mum, could you and Fleur start making the kitchen sanitary?"

Gobsmaked at the way Ron was taking control, everyone stared at him until Harry broke the reverie "All right troops, you heard the man."

"Right, Ginny I think we can start making some of the rooms livable on the second landing" Hermione added nodding to Ginny.

"Sure" she replied.

"And Bill you and I can do the third" Mr. Weasley supplemented.

With the teams assigned, everyone started on their tasks. Molly and Fleur soon had wonderful smells emanating from the hall leading to the kitchen, and the sitting room surprisingly quickly became habitable. Harry helped with the reconstruction of the living room with Ron and George, Charlie occasionally flirted in and out helping wherever he could. Much of the damage was done physically, which was easily fixed magically. No one said much during the clean up, but George was noticeably quieter than his normal, boisterous self.

"Well that was fun" Ron said with a sigh as he plopped down on the newly repaired sofa. "People should really trash your house more often Harry."

"Not if I can help it" Harry replied with a tired grin as he sunk down beside his friend. "What's wrong George?" When Harry addressed his friend he seemed not to notice at first, then he flinched slightly when he did realize that his name had been mentioned.

"Hmm?" "Right… terrible mess." "I'm going to push off to bed, I'm not feeling that hungry. Tell mum will you?" George tried to smile but it just turned into a grimace. He turned to climb the stairs, shoving his hands deep into his pockets and was gone before either of the friends could react.

"I'd say something's wrong, wouldn't you" Ron asked staring at the spot where George disappeared. Before Harry could answer Mrs. Weasley called from the kitchen that dinner was ready. Apparently everyone had been waiting for this announcement because it took more time to call everyone in than it did for everyone to actually get there. Not knowing what the kitchen looked like before Harry could not tell how much cleaning was involved, but the large room was gleaming from the table and the pots that shone with their former luster. The gathering was surprisingly quiet for a Weasley table, and it fell to Mr. Weasley to break the silence.

"We have enough rooms for everyone to get a good night's rest" Mr. Weasley glanced around the table. "Ginny and Hermione can share the one at the end of the hall on the second landing, me and Molly will take the one on the left and Bill and Fleur can have the one on the right." "The boys will all be on the third with Harry, of course taking Sirius' room on the left, Ron you can share with Percy when he gets back from the Ministry, while Charlie can bunk with George."

Harry had not noticed the absence of the third eldest Weasley brother. "Is Percy still at the Ministry, Mr. Weasley" Harry asked.

"He is indeed" Mr Weasley replied. "He's helping the Minister get everything back in order after the Death Eaters were kicked out" Mr. Weasley continued without looking up from his food. "Oh" Mr. Wealsey burst out; loudly enough that everyone jumped in their seats, forks clattering against plates and goblets. "Did I tell you lot that Percy got a promotion too?"

"I should think not" Mrs. Weasley replied, trying to calm her nerves with a sip from her goblet. "What does he do now?"

Mr. Weasley positively beamed at this. "Our son is the Assistant Director to the Minister." Mrs. Weasley squealed softly and brought her hands up to her mouth in shock. "He's right in line behind the Vice-Minister" Mr. Weasley continued, "He said his job right now is to oversee the replacement of our government." Mr. Weasley's chest looked fit to burst when he finished. His wife had tears of joy streaming down her face as she smiled across the table at her husband.

Over the din of talking about the new job and how much it suited the master organizer Hermione raised her voice over the noise, "Wait, Mr. Weasley did you say 'Percy got a promotion _too_,' who else do we know that got one also?"

Mr. Weasley looked slightly taken aback. "Well… er" he cleared his throat, "I did." His wife squealed again. "Turns out that I am the new Director of Magical Law enforcement" he gave a weak smile, "I told you all this, didn't I?" Mrs. Weasley jumped up from her chair and made her way around the table to face her husband.

"You most certainly did not" she said before pulling him from his chair and hugging him deeply.

"Terribly sorry dear" he said with a smile, "I hope you can forgive me." He then leaned down and kissed his wife fully on the lips while they were gripped in each other's arms

The kiss was broken suddenly by a loud retching noise coming from Harry's immediate left. "Honestly Ron, it's just kissing." "We do it too" Hermione chided.

"Yeah but it's my mum and dad" Ron answered with a flush creeping from his ears down to his face and neck. "It's gross when they do it."

The couple broke apart and Mr. Weasley sat back down allowing his wife to make her way back to her chair, her face being consumed by her blush. "I think we should all push off to bed" Mrs. Weasley said hurriedly, waving her wand to clear the dishes and set them to washing themselves before literally dragging her husband up the stairs after her.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny marched up the stairs to their respective rooms to change into their pajamas and get ready for bed. They all met in Harry's room to talk about the events of the day.

"What do you think will happen" Ginny asked from her position on Harry's shoulder.

"What do you mean Gin" Ron asked from the other side of the room, while he and Hermione shared the small sofa that surprisingly was not touched during the occupation of the house.

"What's going to happen to us" she clarified "we can't very well live here with Harry for the rest of our lives." Harry cringed subtly underneath Ginny's head.

"I'm sure your parents are working on a way to rebuild" Hermione provided. "They wouldn't want to live anywhere else besides that bit of land they first picked out, and started their family on."

Ginny sighed "yeah, I guess you're right." "Hermione, I'm tired I think I'll go to bed." Ginny lifted her head and made her way to the door. Her hand was on the handle before she turned around and said "goodnight Harry." She left before he even had a chance to respond.

"I think I'll join her" Hermione announced, kissing Ron on the cheek before departing the room.

Ron got up too and stretched, thumping his knuckles on the ceiling in the process. "G'night mate" Ron yawned. As he made his way past Harry he clapped him on the back and said "don't worry about her, she's just a little upset. She will be back to her old self in the morning." Ron smiled down at his best friend and turned to walk out of the room and into the hall. Harry slept unexpectedly soundly that night.

**OK, another one down. I'm at a point now where I'm having trouble with the villian, and what to do about him (you saw him last time). I'd appreciate any scraps of ideas y'all have to foward the plot, throwing as many curves as possible. That applies, as always, to any feedback you can give. It is always welcomed. See you soon.**


	8. A Requisite for Love

**Warning this is as fluffy as a bunny in a slipper. The following may not be suitable for people with weak stomachs, or embittered hearts. **

Chapter 8: A Requisite for Love

The next few days were filled with constant cleaning and a constant flow of people coming to Grimauld Place. Bill and Fleur left after the first night to return to their home, Charlie went back to Romania claiming that he could not bear the thought of his "babies" being too long without him. George stayed a couple days before saying he needed to 'see a man about a goat.' Percy never did stop by; Mr. Weasley said he was able to get a room at a local motel to be as close as he could to the Ministry. Hermione had not gotten word where her parents were located, so she was stationed at the house until further notice, which pleased Ron a great deal. Ron had become comfortable with his emotions toward Hermione and was no longer conflicted with showing his emotions with her or with other people near them.

The trio was finishing cleaning the last upstairs bedroom when they were sought out by Ginny. "Hey guys, do you think I can borrow Harry for a minute" she asked meeting Harry's eyes. Ron and Hermione looked at each other, then to Harry and complied, dropping what trash they had in their hands.

It had been three days since that night Ginny left without saying goodnight. Harry had tried to get her to talk to him, but any time he was about to say something, something else would take her away from him. Meanwhile, Ginny was trying to understand why she was feeling the same way she always did towards him. She finally decided to talk him.

She approached him keeping her eyes on his, stopping a foot from him and just looked at him.

"Er… hi" Harry said lamely. Ginny smiled and closed the gap between them and hugged him around the middle.

"I'm sorry" she whispered "I don't know what's wrong with me. I just feel so distant from you and everyone."

Harry gripped her around the shoulders tightly, he stroked her hair and pulled her head into his chest. "I know how tough this is for you" he said gently into her hair "we both have lost a great deal." He pulled her off his chest to look into her eyes. His green met her brown and he tried to convey all the love he could just through his eyes. "Gin, I know you're hurting, I know because I am too." "When you love someone you are there for them, no matter what." He pulled her back into his chest and stood there holding her.

After a time Ginny extricated herself from the grasp of Harry. "Thank you, I know we just need to be here for each other. I know you're here for me and I can not tell you how much I appreciate that." She gave him a weak smile and stood up on the tips of her toes to give him a gentle kiss on the lips, which he returned in kind.

-

* * *

-

When Ron and Hermione left the room they did not wander far, but decided to rest in the next room. Ron pulled a book from the mantel and flopped on the bed to continue his reading. Seeing this, Hermione stopped dead in her tracks "What are you doing" she asked stunned.

"What" Ron responded confused.

"You're reading? Voluntarily?"

Ron looked at her then glanced at the book before smiling "yeah, if I'm going to be an Auror, I better brush up on my spell work." He patted the bed next to him "always the tone of surprise with you." Hermione chuckled before sideling over to curl up next to him.

The time passed quietly with just their breathing and the occasional scraping of turning pages. Hermione's head rested on Ron's chest, she could hear the thumping of his heart, feel the strength of his arm around her, holding her close. She sighed contentedly.

Ron put his book down before stretching a little and began stroking Hermione's hair. "What are you thinking about" he asked, whispering into her hair.

"Nothing, just thinking" she replied snuggling closer to him.

He kissed the top of her head "about what" he asked.

"Just of us" she replied, turning over to put her chin on his chest and look at him.

"Good thoughts I hope" he said grinning at her.

"The best" she smiled back. She pulled herself up to give him a kiss on the lips, tender and soft at first, but it grew more passionate as they continued. Ron pulled her up further so she was directly over him; he pushed her hair from their faces, pinning it behind her head. Hermione probed the outside of his mouth with her tongue, begging access. A growl rumbled from down in his chest and shifted her underneath him.

Hermione opened her mouth slightly to give his imploring tongue access to hers. The battle between the mouths had no clear front-runner, though each tried to gain the advantage. Ron pulled back to plant kisses down her jaw and neck. Hermione moaned slightly when he began to nibble at her collarbone, she ran her fingers through his hair and pulled his head back up to her face where she could better kiss him.

"Wait, wait" she breathed at moments their lips were not together.

"What's the matter" Ron asked back, equally breathless. They stared at each other, breathing heavily before Ron spoke again. "We need to slow down."

"Just a bit" she responded as she wriggled out from under him. She sat up and looked at a disheveled, and abashed Ron. "I didn't mean I didn't like it" she reassured "we just need to make sure that we don't get too carried away." She cupped his face in her hand when he looked down in embarrassment. "You didn't do anything wrong." She moved her hand to lift his chin so he faced her "I liked it, I liked being that physical with you, I just think we should take it slow." He smiled when she mirrored his own feelings.

"Sure love" he replied leaning in to kiss her again.

"No you don't" she chided jokingly, "you finish your studies." With that she swung off the bed and strode out into the hall.

"She'll be the death of me" Ron muttered as he picked up his book again. After five futile minutes trying to comprehend the same sentence he quit his reading to find his family.

Ron found the members of his family gathered around the kitchen table talking quietly over tea. He instead turned left into the parlor to look at the shelves and shelves of books. At Hogwarts it was no secret that to him, books were a method of torture administered by the educators at the expense of the students. Since his time there however, he had taken a liking to the books that Hermione packed for herself. When the other two were asleep, Ron would sneak into Hermione's bag to find something interesting to read. As he was scrolling the titles he heard a tapping on the pane glass behind him. He turned around to see a medium sized owl, that was completely, and utterly black. His yellow eyes stood in such stark contrast to its plumage Ron was mesmerized, if only for a moment.

"You are a strange bird aren't you?" Ron chortled at his own pun while letting the owl in to be relieved of his burden of a thin box tied to his talon. Without a sound the owl spread its massive wings and leapt into the afternoon sky.

"What were you laughing at" asked Ginny from the doorway.

"You really shouldn't end your sentences in prepositions," disciplined Ron as he handed the envelope that was addressed to his sister.

"Shut up" she glared, snatching the letter from her brother. "I'll stick a preposition up your-"

"Are those letters" asked Harry, cutting off Ginny before she was able to finish her grumble.

"Yeah, but don't worry there's one for you too" Ron said as he handed out the remaining two, to Harry and Hermione.

Hermione squealed, "they're from Hogwarts" she exclaimed. "They must be letting us back for our last year." Harry and Ron exchanged significant looks before opening their envelopes.

**That's it for chapter eight, don't you love a little foreshadowing? I am through with classes, I just have to contend with exams so I will be able to draft more. I am still hoping someone from England will want to authenticate the dialogue, until then it's just me and anyone else who wants to put their two cents in.**


	9. A Home Unable to Return

**My last update absolutely exploded with response, so I thought I'd reward those faithful few. Also, because last chapter your foot was in a slipper with a bunny, it's going to get hot in here. Not too hot to burn an 'M' on the rating but hot enought. 'Fore warned.**

Chapter 9: A Home Unable to Return

Harry and Ron both watched the girls rip opened the familiar, thick parchment that held their letters informing them of the new additions to their school and what is to be expected during their final year.

"I got Head Girl" screamed Hermione. Her smile faded quicker than a lamp without oil when she realized her new responsibilities. "I… well… I couldn't do it."

"Come off it Hermione, you're the best in our year" Ron said putting his arm around her "you are the best witch of our age, you're the only one qualified for the job."

"Thanks Ron" she hugged him, "I wonder who got Head Boy" she asked the group.

"I dunno" Harry answered "but I see Ginny has something shiny."

Everyone looked at Ginny who did not, or could not stop staring at her letter. "I got captain" she whispered.

"How's that now" Ron asked, craning his neck to hear better.

"I got captain" Ginny shrieked. For the second time someone's face changed from complete joy to befuddlement and concern. "Why didn't you get it, Harry?" She and Hermione turned to Harry, who grew increasingly uncomfortable under their questioning stares.

"Well… er… I… er.. am not going back to Hogwarts. Ron and me are going straight into the Auror program at the end of the summer."

Like in a vacume, it felt as if all the air had been sucked from the room. Ginny and Hermione were sharing looks of total disbelief, with their mouths agape and arms hanging limply by their sides. Ron was the first to speak.

"This might be a bit of a shock" he started, "but Kingsley said he could really use the help, and besid-"

"BIT OF A SHOCK" both girls screamed at him.

"Why didn't you tell me" asked a very angry Hermione, who was advancing on Ron. "You decided to keep this secret from me, and for how long" she added, her voice was becoming dangerously quiet. "When were you planning on telling me?"

"S-soon, I swear" stuttered a retreating Ron "We only just found out yesterday, right Harry?" He looked over at his friend, pleading for him to throw him a life-saver as he was drowning under the glare of his girlfriend.

"Yeah, we have Kingsley's letter to prove it" Harry's save did not go unnoticed though, as his own girlfriend seemed to remember his presence and turned on him.

"And when were you going to tell me" she looked more hurt than mad, but behind the innocence was hardened steel.

"Soon" Harry repeated "like tonight."

Her eyes narrowed when he said that. "Look we were just waiting for the best time to tell you. We didn't intend to keep anything from you, it just happened." Harry looked over at Ron, who looked as if he would agree to anything, was nodding deliberately. As if on command, their faces relaxed considerably, although their eyes still betrayed the anger that burned within them.

"I don't like you hiding things from me Ron" Hermione stated before she stormed off up the stairs. They heard a distant door slam, followed by the wailing of Mrs. Black's portrait.

"Nor do I" Ginny yelled at Harry over Mrs. Black. She followed Hermione's trail and a moment later another door slammed.

Ron flicked his wand at the hall and the curtains were drawn back, restoring the silence of the house. "Well that went well" he added grimly.

"Five minutes" Harry asked.

Ron glanced up at the ceiling, "better make it ten" he announced before settling into a small chair. The two friends waited eight and a half minutes before they reached a consensus that it was safe and, each to his own, went to make his apology.

_

* * *

Ron was standing outside the bedroom with his raised, poised to knock on the door, but something was holding him back. It was Harry.

"Remember, don't lose your temper" he whispered "let her vent, and then apologize, got it?" Ron nodded and Harry turned to go further down the hall to Ginny's room. The only thing holding Ron back now was fear, he swallowed and knocked on Hermione's door.

_

* * *

It took several tries, but eventually the girls understood that their men were not looking to hurt them. "When do you and Ron leave" Ginny asked after she calmed down.

"Kingsley said we ship out on the fifth" Harry replied pushing his cheek on the top of her head. He loved her smell. As strange and disturbing as that sounds, he loved the flowery odour that greeted his nose when she passed, or when he was able to hold her close in an embrace.

She nuzzled closer to him, drawing his arms tighter around her front. "How long will you be gone?"

He lifted his head to answer "thirteen weeks." Her shoulders sagged at his answer, he tried to cheer her "But hey, you'll have your N.E. to worry about. You'll be so wrapped up in that you won't even realize I'm gone."

She looked at him dubiously "Like I could forget you" she said sarcastically. "I couldn't forget about you the whole time you were gone last year" she said as she looked back up at him. She smiled softly, "no matter how much I tried."

Harry leaned down and gently kissed her lips. They broke apart and looked at each other "I'm sorry" he said.

She furrowed her brow "it's wasn't your fault. You didn't ask Voldemort to attack your friends and family."

"I know" Harry said quietly "I still hurt you though, and I'm sorry for that." When she opened her mouth to argue more he leaned over and licked her across the cheek.

"Har- bluh… ugghh" she wiped the moisture from her face and an evil grin spread across her face. "You know you're dead right?"

"You have to catch me first" with that Harry sprang to his feet and made to run from the room. Ginny lunged for his feet and caught one causing him to trip and crash into the floor. Ginny made her move, seizing his disadvantage, she pounced; she pinned both arms and maneuvered her hips and legs to straddle him and hold him down. Ginny proceeded to lick every exposed piece of flesh he presented her.

"Truce… truce" Harry gasped. He was laughing so hard he couldn't breathe. Ginny stopped but she didn't remove herself from his midsection or release his hands from her grasp.

"Isn't this quite the position you're in, Mr. Potter" she teased. "Now how did the famous Harry Potter get into such a predicament. With a girl no less" she added leering down at him.

Harry smiled "well since you asked, I-" he bucked his hips suddenly, swiveling his waist to slide her from it. At the same time he overpowered her left hand and rolled her so she was on her back. He grasped her wrists and kept them by her head, pressing them gently but forcefully into the floor. Ginny's heart was pounding as she gazed into the smiling green lights behind his round glasses. His smile faltered slightly, then he leaned down for a second time and Ginny closed her eyes waiting to meet his lips with her own. She felt a tingling sensation as his lips brushed against hers. She lifted her head to pushed her lips hard against his and he returned the motion with equal passion, reneging on his ploy to hold her down, now he just wanted to be as close as possible.

They both broke apart gasping for air, Harry took this time to plant kisses down her neck. He released her hands to he could better use his. He pushed aside one of the sleeves on her shoulder and lavished the area with kisses and gentle bites. Ginny ran her hands under the back of his shirt, feeling his flesh beneath her nails as she dug them in.

With his attention refocused on her mouth his hands wandered over her body. His right settled on her rib cage, not daring to go further. Her body seemed to be urging his hand on, forcing it to make that leap, that dash into no-man's-land. It inched along, creeping up her ribs to the rounded portion of her shirt. When it reached the end, the base of the mountain, with no further to travel he stopped

Ginny felt his hand on her ribs, beneath her breast. She tried to move her body to coerce his hand to finish the climb. She was screaming at the hand in her mind, trying to move it up.

Passions overwhelming him, with an air of exploration, he threw caution to the wind and took the plunge; scaling the heights, he ran his hand over the soft flesh of her upper torso. The reaction was immediate, her figure seemed to melt beneath him and a soft moan escaped from her throat. Triumphant at his conquest, he brought his hand back to the vertical limit and left it there.

"…I dunno. I'll check and see if they're upstairs" the couple heard through the open doorway. They broke apart and stood up quickly, trying to regain some of their composure. Ron burst through the door to see a disheveled Ginny and a clothe-mussed Harry.

"Mum-ah…er. Mum's back and she said she had to tell us all something" Ron said before turning red and retreating through the door without another word from anyone. Harry and Ginny smirked at each other while tidying themselves before making their way down to the kitchen.

**I hope that wan't so intense that I lost some readers, hoping for a clean fic. I promise that's as hot as it gets (I don't write smut), I was trying to show how the relationship between Harry and Ginny is turning physical instead of just the hand-holding they are... curious... i guess. Anyway, thanks again for the encouraging responses; keep them up and who knows I may update as a present again. **


	10. A Question of Need

Chapter 10: A Question of Need

Harry and Ginny made their way down to the kitchen hand in hand to see Mr. and Mrs. Weasley standing beside the table that was occupied by Ron and Hermione, and Ginny's older brothers: Bill and George. Harry and Ginny sat next to Ron and Hermione who were looking expectantly at the Weasley parents.

"Well now that everyone is here I can give an update with the house" Mr. Weasley said, looking at everyone around the table. "The Ministry has deemed it an act of dark magic, and will therefore have to be investigated." Everyone's shoulders slumped a little and their faces turned from quizzical to grim.

Ron's head fully dropped when he groaned, "I thought we were finished with all this." Hermione rubbed his back so he lifted his head and rested his chin on his hand.

"Well it looks as though we've only just turned a chapter on the evil in this world" Mr. Weasley replied, equally solemn.

"No matter" Mrs. Weasley said with an air of disappointment about her make-believe cheer. "We'll just be here a bit longer, and the Ministry has even offered to rebuild the house for us." The members of the table all gave small smiles back to their mother at the slight ray of sunshine in an otherwise overcast meeting. Mrs. Weasley turned to busy herself at the stove top, and through the chatter at the table and the clanging of the pots and pans at the stove an occasional sniffle would be heard. After everyone dispersed from the table and into the sitting room Bill left shortly, saying he really shouldn't leave Fleur too long. Before George left he held Ron back in the kitchen.

"Ron, wait up a bit" George said peering around to check their surroundings. "I need to ask a favor."

"Sure, anything for my big bro" Ron said trying to grab George in a head-lock to, but without success. George's face bore no outward signs of amusement as he looked back into his brother's eyes. Ron noticed that his usually dancing eyes that had a remarkable resemblance to molten chocolate, now had cooled and was turning slowly into an old wooden plank.

"I need you to run the shop for me while I'm away" he continued. "Just for the summer obviously" he added.

"W-what" Ron stammered out, "you're opening the store back up?" "And you're leaving, where are you going?"

George's eyes flickered "Of course, and I've got another poker in the fire. But we shan't be speaking of that yet." He told Ron to meet him at the shop tomorrow morning before it opened. "Oh" he remembered, "best keep this between us for now though, eh?" George winked and wheeled around to disappear down the hall.

_

* * *

That night Ron and Hermione were sitting on the bed of her room discussing their theories of where George could be leaving to. "Maybe he just wants to get away, you know? Have a bit of a holiday" Hermione offered.

"Probably" he replied. "I think Fred's de-" Ron seemed to choke on the last word. "I think Fred hit him the hardest."

Hermione looked down at that, but decided to not press the subject, instead asked, "How long will _you_ be gone" she asked, trying to remain indifferent by picking some lint off her trouser.

"Not too long" he answered lightly. She looked up and glowered at him. "13 weeks" he answered assuredly. He slid closer to her and draped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her head to him and kissing the top of it. "Hermione" he started. She looked up at him, gazing into his blue eyes. She always wondered why he, of all the children, was given his father's blue eyes; while the rest of the offspring had Molly's deep chocolate eyes. "I was wondering" he started again by taking his hand and running it through the troop of red hair and down behind his neck. "Er, could I come with you to Australia to help you find your parents? I'd, er, really like to meet them." He smiled lamely. She looked at him in utter astonishment before wrapping him up in her arms and holding him tight.

"What the bloody hell do you think" she whispered. "I've been waiting on you to ask me that for ages. I was about to stun you and take you as my carry-on."

Ron grinned, "great. What's carry-on?"

She laughed "never you mind." "My goodness" she exclaimed "we need to get to bed."

"Yeah and I've got to wake up early tomorrow" Ron said kissing her on the cheek.

Hermione tilted her head questioningly "what are you doing tomorrow?"

Ron's smile flickered "Er, what? Early… I-I don't know why I said that. I don't have to wake up early, it's summer." He laughed nervously, crossing his arms and uncrossed them before settling against the doorframe.

"You're a horrible liar" she stated with a smile. Her smile twisted into an angry snarl. "I won't stand for you lying to me Ronald." She had stood at this point, advancing on him with her hands on her hips. "What are you hiding" she demanded.

"Nothing-" he started until he saw the shadow that passed across her face. He sighed "Ok, but you can't tell anyone" he whispered, ushering her back to the bed. "I'm going to help George with the shop in Diagon Ally over the summer. He didn't want me to say anything to anyone."

She looked relieved "I'm sorry" she repented. "Sometimes I get a little crazy."

"No problem" he smiled and pecked her on the lips. "Just don't tell anyone" he reprimanded, wagging his finger at her in a joking manner.

_

* * *

Ginny spent every minute she could with Harry. Every day was spent taking walks, going out to eat, even venturing into muggledom to pursue their dating activities. They usually stayed out late and when they came back to Grimuald Place and had a hearty session of snogging before bed. Their relationship had progressed to a phase that can be only explained as physical. Their exploration of the other's body was becoming routine. While they openly decided that the ultimate physical experience was too much for them now, they did not mind expressing their interest in each other as physically as possible.

They both felt a pull toward each other more intense than at any time during their short relationship. At the same time, a void was beginning to form. It was as indistinguishable as it was undeniable that the attraction was there but an underlying repulsion was building.

**That's number ten. Mostly this was filler to give a little some closure, and open up something else between Harry and Ginny. Let me know what you think, and I'll get the next chapter up in a while (it'll be better).**


	11. A First Goodbye

Chapter 11: A First Goodbye

The man wheezed while standing in the open, peering at the devastation, unseen by the workers. The sound of his breath rattling in his chest was the sole noise to escape from his direction, and it was too low for the two nearest ministry workers to hear. The decrypted man continued to watch and listen to the scene in front of him, waiting for the information that would relieve him of his post.

"Definitely fiendfyre" remarked one man, oddly proportioned. He had a head much too small for his body, like a pebble on a boulder; he had no neck to ease the transition from head to shoulders. His mammoth frame was supported by short spindly legs that should undoubtedly collapse under his weight. In contrast to his legs, his arms were long and burly reaching past his knees, giving his overall appearance much like a gorilla.

"Yes, but where did it come from" snapped an irritated gangly figure. The difference in stature and proportions was instantly comical. Where the former man was bolder-esk in appearance, the latter was incredibly tall and lanky; comparative only to a tree. He even walked with a loping step that seemed to be a result of the wind blowing rather than muscle coordination.

"Haven't the foggiest sir, occupants must've been followed here and surprised once they got inside."

"No" the tree sighed, "they apperated directly here, and besides the wards were still up when we arrived. No one was within a mile of the house when it happened."

"Surely not sir" gaped the gorilla, dangerously shifting his weight to one leg while he produced a pipe from his back pocket. "I've never heard of such a thing, transferring fienfyre more than just a few feet." He chewed on the stem of his pipe thoughtfully.

"Nor have I Craig, but that is beside the point" the tree said while leaning over to whisper closer to the shorter man. "The bigger picture is that someone very powerful, wanted the Weasley's dead. It's a miracle no one was hurt here."

The invisible figure's breathing hitched._ How could anything have survived_? He asked himself. _They were there, they had to've been_. _Apparently not,his other side gloated_. _How could you have missed this opportunity? You must remedy this, _the voice told him. With a strangled cry of rage, the man twisted around, his body swirled and was consumed by itself resulting in his disappearance without as much as a whisper of wind, or a rustle of grass.

_

* * *

Harry opened the door to Grimauld Place with one hand and stepped back, allowing his company to precede him. "Such a gentleman" his beautiful charge giggled quietly.

Harry smirked and followed after the flame that danced ahead of him through the door. He closed the door softly behind him, following the girl to their place after late nights out; in the parlor they sat close. "Thank you for the movie" Ginny said to him softly. "I've never been before" she told him quietly, her eyes growing in remembrance of the excitement of the night. "How do you think they do it" she asked.

Harry had been nuzzling Ginny's neck, inhaling her fragrance; he did not want to talk, he wanted to experience her, smell her perfume, taste her lips, feel her soft flesh under his fingers. "I dunno" he lied, but to explain the complex process of capturing images and transferring them to the screen would take too much time away from his intoxication.

"What was your favorite part" she pursued, placing a few inches between them so they could converse more easily.

Harry exhaled audibly and rested his arm on the back of the sofa taking in her appearance, "Erm, I liked the girl. I thought she was funny" he amended hastily when Ginny's eyebrow cocked in surprise. "You know you're the only one I have eyes for" Harry added in a more subdued tone while he slid closer to her, stroking the side of her head so he could pull her closer to kiss those tender lips.

She dodged him and placed a few more inches between them, "I liked the end, when the good-guy really was the killer" she said using her fingers to quote the air when she said the 'good-guy.'

"Yeah" Harry said silkily, "and the real good-guy got the girl in the end." He said this while moving closer to her again but now she was cornered against the arm. Harry leaned in and was greeted with the warm wetness of Ginny's lips, but the encounter was brief and soon Harry found himself kissing air. "What's wrong" he asked when he noticed she had vacated her spot next to him.

"Nothing" she responded from the fireplace, "I just want to talk tonight, I think we are going too fast physically and not far enough emotionally."

Harry's head fell back and thumped on the back of the couch, "I don't want to just talk right now. I've been too long without you, you don't know how it's been without you; not being able to hold you, to have you." Harry looked back up in time to see her open hand connecting with his left cheek.

"Don't you dare" she hissed. Her eyes were blazing with anger, and not yet flooded with tears. "You left me, remember? I had to deal with that while keeping up with all that was happening at Hogwarts, and you and my brother being in constant danger." The tears were beginning to form now and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to no avail to keep them in. "You have no idea what it means to love someone and be loved in return. You're not facing your destiny tomorrow anymore, Harry; you're going to be here to stay and we have all the rest of our lives do anything we want, and what I want right now is to talk to you about this movie."

Harry sat in stunned silence. Although her voice never raised above a harsh whisper his ears still rang in the silence that followed. He looked back up at her and replied with a calm voice not representative of his thoughts, screaming and rumbling across his head, "You're right." A single tear rolled down his still stinging cheek, "I don't know how to love anyone because everyone I love gets killed." He spoke those words aloud for the first time. He had always known they were true, but refused to admit it to anyone including himself. "Will you help me" he asked Ginny.

Ginny sat down beside him again and snaked her arm around his waist. "'Course I will, love" she said gently. "I don't want you to hurt anymore, and if that means you aren't angsty and moody all the time… well I'll have to live with that" she continued with a pained expression on her face before it cracked into a wide, toothy smile.

"Ginny, I love you" Harry said.

"I know" she replied and kissed him on the cheek. "Off to bed now, the both of us" Ginny commanded, grabbing one of his hands and pulling him to his feet.

"I thought you wanted to talk about the movie" Harry reminded.

"Tomorrow," she smiled. Ginny led him to her room where he held her back by the hand. He raised her knuckles to his lips and brushed them over her soft skin. She cupped his cheek and pulled him into an embrace that was ended with a fiery kiss to set their hearts racing before she pulled back and pushed him out of the doorway.

Harry went to bed that night with a new perspective on his life. He played back the words Ginny told him that night, he wasn't facing his impending death in the morning or the day after or even the day after that. He placed his glasses on the nightstand bedside his bed and laid back to be awakened, seemingly mere seconds after he closed his eyes.

_

* * *

The rest of the summer passed uneventfully; the Weasley's house was rebuilt, this time with tangible support instead of magic. Ginny moved back in with her parents before the start of term, however Ron and Hermione stayed with Harry in Grimauld place, much to the chagrin of Mrs. Weasley. Hermione had still yet to hear from the Ministry on the whereabouts of her parents, and this left her prone to irritability and emotional swings that left both boys reeling from the change in their friend, but also in the only position to offer any comfort to her. Both Harry and and Ginny celebrated their birthdays with family and friends, and by playing in many games of apparation-hide-and-seek; as they could now all legally apparate together. The summer could not last though, the first of September came quickly, too much so for the girls, who had to leave behind more than they were willing.

"Come back to me soon, won't you" Hermione almost pleaded, her pride all but gone.

"As soon as I get a leave, you're the first person I see" Ron promised and hugged her tightly. "Study hard for me" he said back to her, while he wiped the small amount of leakage escaping her eyes. She gripped him close again before pulling away to kiss him hard on the lips. Ron blushed, in spite of himself, and ushered her to the edge of the platform to rejoin the waiting Ginny. Ron walked back to where his family and Harry were and turned to see the train off, waving like the rest of the people he used to watch from the other side of the train's windows.

**Ok, that's number eleven. I haven't been drafting much over my Christmas break (we got our first snow of the season and it has me wrapped around its frozen finger), but I hope to knock out a few chapters after a while I'm free. This one had a little more with the villian, you get to see a little more of his... psyche I guess. Let me know if you're confused about something I didn't clarify. Let me now how you think the story is turning out, or where you would like to see it go from here. Feedback is always greatly appreciated.**


	12. A Friend in the Making

**Point of clarification: I realize that I may not have been explicit enough in previous chapters. The creeper that started the last chapter is the same guy that started another earlier chapter (talking to himself) and they are both the same guy that burned the Weasley's house down. **

Chapter 12: A Friend in the Making

Ron jostled beside Harry on a bus, going to an unknown location, at an unknown time. He knew that their ultimate destination lay on a small island off the English coast, in the Isle of Man, but as to where in the water-way, or where they were now was beyond him. Ron had never ridden a bus, or a car bigger than the ones his father was able to borrow from the Ministry on occasion; he realized he did not care for the experience. Other wizards had become sick from the experience and the remnant was congealing on the floor in front of him, sliding unmercifully toward his trainers. Ron lifted one foot until he realized he had nowhere else to put it; slowly he lowered it back into the pool of sick. The resulting squish underfoot almost drew a contribution from Ron.

"What the bloody hell are we doing, Harry" Ron moaned next to his friend.

Harry looked at Ron's pale and green shaded face and glanced and his feet. He smirked a little, "It's not that bad" Harry remarked "buck up, we'll be there in a bit." He turned his attention back to the rain streaked window as before.

Ron stared back at his friend for a moment, awestruck. Ron had admired Harry since he met him, but more so now that his petty jealousy was put behind him. Nothing seemed to bother him. He had to have known that he would have to eventually die at Voldemort's hands for a long time, yet he remained functioning; better still, he came back and killed the sodding murderer. Ron had seen Harry through it all and Harry never changed, he kept to himself, was humble and respectful, even self deprecating, but he never reclused himself. Ron could not help but to be proud of his best mate.

"Psst" hissed someone to Ron's rear, "where're we goin? We must be in Scotland by now."

"Nah, close though" remarked a young wizard across the aisle from Ron. "We're still in England, but we turned West ten minutes ago. So, not much further" he continued at the sight of the faces confused at the relevance of his last statement. He had the strangest accent Ron had ever heard. "You see" he added further in a condenscending tone, "when you live on an island, you can only go so far in one direction." He smiled to ease the pressure of his remark.

"Are you an American" Harry asked from beside Ron.

"Surely am" the American stated, "born and bred in the U.S of A." He smiled wide and offered his hand, "My name's Joe."

Ron shook his hand with a questioning expression, "What are you doing here?"

Joe laughed openly, tossing his head back to fill the small cavern with his chuckles, "well those guys up there" he said nodding towards the front of the bus where the driver and a very angry faced wizard were glaring back "said they had free food, and offered me a lift." A few snorts and smiles greeted his response. "But really" he started again, "I'm just like you. I want to be an Auror."

_

* * *

The bus entered the Isle of Man through a gated fence, whose road led to no bridge. The bus driver accelerated onto the waterway where, like any bus-boat, the passengers maneuvered across the sea. Half an hour later the passengers were able to look out their windows to see a beach, and ten minutes after that the bus was parked beside what looks like a warehouse. The angry looking wizard spoke to the driver for a few words and left.

Harry saw Joe turn to whisper something to his neighbor, but before any sound escaped his lips the driver had stood and was shouting commands faster and louder than Harry could comprehend.

"Is that understood" bellowed the wizard at the front of the bus. There were a few murmured "yeses" or "yes sirs." The giant of a wizard grabbed one of the passengers by his collar and hauled him up to where their faces were inches apart, and shouted "I didn't hear you."

The younger man said he understood only mildly louder, which earned him another deafening cry from the giant. The young man shouted straight away, "yes sir" after which he was promptly dropped back in his seat with a flop.

"It should take you ten seconds to get you and your gear off this bus and assembled on the gangway" said the driver, not lowering his volume while he walked down the length of the bus. When he was at the front of the bus again, and had instructed to not talk in extremely less polite words he sneered back at the passengers "I'm waiting" and his head disappeared out the door.

An instant's hesitation was followed by a mad dash to comply with those orders. Harry and Ron collided with two other wizards attempting to squeeze through the narrow opening. Sputtering and tripping onto the pavement, Harry and Ron followed the line in front of them to a painted grid on the walkway where they along with the thirty other meat-sacks, dirt-bags, maggots, and pussy-footers were led into a chamber.

"Strip down to your skivvies and follow the painted line" a nameless wizard shouted at their faces. Harry and Ron both glanced at each other before both complied, instantly reviewing their career choices.

_

* * *

Harry lay on his cot, utterly exhausted and completely in pain. His muscles ached with a dull burning, in places he did not know he had. The Cruciatus Curse left one writhing in pain on the ground, but that pain did not intesify over time, this pain hurt when he moved, and hurt when he laid still. Only his mind remained untouched physically, but it too ached from the constant pounding of information he was receiving.

It was day three of Harry and Ron's thirteen week holiday on Walsall Island, the training grounds for the Ministry of Magic's Auror team. The spit of land somewhere in the Isle of Man that was cold enough in the morning to make the breath of all the trainees visible with frost clinging to every huff and gasp. At midday the sun beat down on their heads and necks with temperatures into the nineties. For the first time in his wizarding life, Harry hated magic.

"If you lay still like that for long, you'll get too stiff to do anything" called a strange voice from the other side of the squad-bay.

"I already can't do anything" Harry called back through gritted teeth, his jaws even hurt.

Harry heard the cot to the left of his squeak as the voice settled to lie down as well. "Joe, how are you not dead like the rest of us?"

"Oh I am buddy, I just know how to handle it" Joe answered before massaging his calf and ankle.

"Do tell" Harry retorted, then decided to heed the advice and sat up, thankfully without groaning terribly loud.

"Well" Joe started, "Never eat a full breakfast, always change your socks, and always stretch when you wake up."

Harry stared at his peer. "What's he on about" Ron asked, collapsing on the cot beside Harry.

"Oh" Joe said, "and never talk back to your superior." Joe said this with a bemused expression upon looking at Ron.

Harry looked over at the other occupying his bed, "Oi" Harry exclaimed, "get off my bed you filthy bugger!" Ron was covered by a grimy dust, with mud caked onto his arms and face, and a single leaf perched on his now shaved head.

"Maybe you should get a bath, Weasley" said an acne scarred youth that passed the small gathering.

"Maybe you should get a brain, McCullic" Ron muttered while grabbing a towel to storm to the bath-house, leaving a vapour thin cloud behind him.

Joe chuckled and laid down on his cot, covering his eyes with his forearm. "So what's your story, Potter" he asked, not lifting his arm from his face.

Harry stared back at him, dumbfounded, gobsmaked, and flabbergasted. "Y-… you don't know my story?"

Joe uncovered his face and looked back at Harry, "no" he stated plainly. "Should I?"

Harry was unable to speak. He knew Voldemort's terror was localized to Europe, Britain mostly, but he never dreamed that people could have never have heard of his story and that of Voldemort's. "Well..." Harry started, "I guess I started like any other kid orphaned by a dark wizard, whom I had numerous incounters with before I eventually killed, and raised by angry and scared muggles who were intent on squashing the magic out of me."

Joe looked back at his neighboring bunkmate, mouth held agape, and arm frozen in the process of scratching his back. "Wow," he whispered eventually. "Is that normal for everyone else here too?"

**Ok, that's it for number twelve. I'm not completely satisfied with this chapter, but I don't know why; any thoughts would be appreciated. Also, Merry Christmas. Never forget the purpose of this holiday, to celebrate the birth of the savio(u)r of the world, Jesus, our Christ, only through him can we gain everlasting life. I encourage all that have yet to experience the love and foriveness of God and His Son, Jesus, to look up a local church and pastor/priest and ask about him. I'm getting off of my sopa box and won't climb back up to preach anymore, but I do wish my readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.**


	13. A Graduation Day

**Ok, not as much volume on the last chapter, which was to be expected as it wasn't quite my favorite either. I have, however, given better attention to this one and I am sure you will like it much better. Enjoy! Happy New Year, by the way. I hope you lose all the weight you want.**

Chapter 13: A Graduation Day

Harry stood at attention next to eight other young men and a very small, yet very fierce young girl. The ceremony that announced the end of their initial education of being an Auror was small in respects to other ceremonies Harry attended. It was held on the field in the middle of the island. The field was transformed from the brown patch of grass it was into a lush meadow, covered by chairs that all faced a small stage and podium. Harry kept his wandering eyes focused to the front, saving the moment until he can once again drink in the sight of his Ginny.

Ron had already found Hermione. She had grown even more lovely in his time apart from her, but he reckoned that was due to his longing to see her as opposed to any real change. He tried to maintain his composure while the commandant was speaking; he knew he had at least another half hour before they were dismissed for the last time. Ron let his mind wander over his time spent here on the island.

_Ron walked back into the barracks, clutching a towel and digging into his ear trying to rid a bubble of water stuck in there. He heard Harry's voice get higher and more strained as he approached the stack of bunks they two shared. _

_"… of a prophecy. A bloody prophecy made by a hack of a Seer caused them to die."_

_Harry's face was twisted into a snarl, clouded by rage and pain. His hands were shaking and clutched into fists, forearms resting of his knees._

_"Jesus" Ron heard Joe whisper, he was close enough now to catch the conversation. "Man, I'm sorry. I didn't know…" Joe's horrified face was complemented by his open mouth, opening and closing without uttering another word, although appearing remarkably like a fish above water. _

_"Potter" A gruff voice called across the bay. "Your team's got the watch tonight. Get your famous ass out there!" The watch, as it were, was nothing than to stretch the average wizard's sleep deprivation endurance. As it was so aptly named, those involved need not so much watch for danger as much as just watch. There was no communication, and definitely no sleeping; only watching. _

_Harry stood heavily, refusing to unclench his fists or his jaw as he marched with four others to meet Instructor Rose for their positions. Joe looked up at Ron, his face still stricken with regret. "It's true, isn't it." The lack of a question took Ron aback slightly, but he nodded solemnly "I didn't know" he whispered again. _

_Ron pulled a skivvy shirt over his head. "Don't worry about it" Ron responded without turning around. "He knows you didn't mean any harm, but better to not bring it up again yeah?"_

_"Yeah" Joe rasped, his throat constricting around his windpipe. _

"… please raise your right hand," the commandant instructed from the podium. The sudden awakening from his reverie caused Ron to be a little behind the others, but the delay went unnoticed, he hoped. "Do you, officers to the magical populations of Britain, hereby swear to ensure their safety, in conjunction with the Secrecy Statutes; without any mental reservations, or ill intent to which you may be unable to perform the duties of the office in which you enter?"

"I do." Ron's voice, combined with nine other voices to make a resounding statement that filled his chest with a bursting pride.

Hermione did not see Ron anywhere on the stage. She found Harry, but to his immediate left and right were men that she did not recognize. She stood to clap enthusiastically with the other members of the audience, including Ron's immediate family. This included a gushing Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and surprisingly a watery-eyed Bill. She watched the nine of them, now off the stage, all raise their head expectantly with their searching eyes scanning the crowd before they found who they were waiting for. All except one. This one, hair close-cropped like the others, was staring at her. Scratch that, he was leering at her; a smile drug the corners of his mouth up into his cheeks, making his face giddy with anticipation.

"Ugh" she scoffed before turning around to ask Ron's parents if they had seen him.

"Hey there beautiful" said a voice from behind her, but it's familiarity had no chance to register because just then arms encircled her waist and drew her close to a firm body behind her. She spun on the spot, ripping his arms away from her and drawing her wand all in the same instant. The half a second before she faced him she thought with all of her might the stunning spell, and watched it shoot from the tip of her wand as she pointed it right at her attacker's chest. Quicker than a blur, Ron parried the curse. "What was that for" he asked, shocked.

The second exposure to his voice triggered a long dormant receptor, "Ron" she asked weakly.

"'Course it's me you bleedin' lunatic, who else?"

She flung her arms out wide and leapt into his, screeching with glee. She buried her face in his chest and inhaled his scent, felt his arms scoop her up and hold her close and kiss the top of her overly curly hair.

"I've missed you so much" she whispered into his tunic.

"Never would have guessed the way you almost hexed me just then" he chuckled into her hair. He set her down, and she reluctantly let go of his neck.

"In my defense" she started before her lips were smothered by a heavy kiss that lasted longer than appropriate. He positioned his hands on her waist and molded her body to his, putting everything he felt the past thirteen weeks into the kiss. The need for oxygen overcame their passion and breathlessly they pulled away, Ron pressing his forehead onto her's.

"Your defense" he inquired playfully.

"Wha-… er… I can't remember" she breathed. Ron smiled a triumphant impish smile. "You've changed" she exclaimed suddenly. "That's why I didn't recognize you" she laughed and shoved at his chest. He didn't move and the skin beneath his tunic barely did either. She cocked an eyebrow and let her hands wander across his new chest and down his much bigger arms.

Ron smiled shyly, "you don't mind, do you" he asked coyly.

"N-no" she stuttered slightly before smiling brightly and wrapping her arms around his torso. "Hop-to" she said suddenly "the rest of your family were as anxious to see you as I was." She blushed furiously as he was wheeled around to face his parents and three of his four older brothers. They all wore the same bemused expression on their faces.

"They can wait" Ron said slyly as he clasped the back of her head and tilted it up to meet his lips again.

"Honestly, Ronald" Hermione gasped after a few seconds.

"Ronald, if you don't come and give your mother a hug this instant I'll-" the rest of Mrs. Weasley's threat was unneeded, as Ron bounded over and wrapped her in a monstrous hug and twirled her through the air before setting her upright on her feet. Hugs all around her were exchanged until all had been embraced.

"Where's Ginny" Ron asked eventually.

"I'll give you three guesses little brother, but you'll probably only need one" George piped up. His eyes were back to normal Ron saw. They danced with the same glow Ron had grown up with, which was a nice change from the sulky attitude that plagued him through the summer.

_

* * *

Ginny watched Harry the whole time. After he dismounted the stage and was peering around the crowd she made her way over to him.

Harry glanced anxiously across the expanse of heads and tunics and saw a flame dance past his vision and before he knew it he was enveloped by a warm embrace. The hair that tickled under his chin smelled of flowers. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and rested his cheek on the top of her head letting the aroma overwhelm his senses. "Ginny…" he started, cupping her face and lifting it to his before gently settling his lips on her's.

The kiss grew as she pressed herself closer to him and placed both of her hands behind his head as his hands traced down her flanks and rested on her hips, drawing her in closer still. "I missed you the whole time" she finally said after she pulled away. "Did you miss me?"

Harry smiled at the absurdity of the question, "I did a bit, yeah." He smiled again as she tried to swing at him, catching each of her hands with ease. He hugged her tight again before they were found by the rest of the family.

_

* * *

Ron and Harry stood shoulder to shoulder to wave one last farewell to the girls and the family. The girls had to return to Hogwarts to finish their terms, and the rest of the family decided that they had had enough excitement for one day and wanted to tuck in early. Once the last of the family had disapperated out of sight the two friends heard an exuberant shout from behind them.

"Oi, you two" called one of their graduating class "you coming?"

"Where to" Ron called back.

"Pub on the mainland," shouted another. "We're going to get pissed to celebrate."

Ron looked at Harry and smiled. "We don't report in until tomorrow" he said while loosening the top button of his tunic.

Harry sighed, thinking over the potential outcomes and smiled, "Yeah, I've never been pissed before. Wait up" He yelled back to the retreating forms and hurried to catch them.

_

* * *

The pub was noisy and crowded, it smelled of sawdust and stale beer. The small crowd of four got a booth in the middle of the congestion and immediately ordered a round of Firewhiskey. The bar got louder and louder as the whiskey flowed more and more, faster and faster. Harry lost count of the rounds, let alone the number of drinks they consumed, but it must have been too much because after the third profession of love McCullic made to the barmaid, she threw everyone into the street. Left to their own devices, Harry, in the haze of his drunkenness, decided to call it quits and return to his home.

Harry, being supported by Ron who had much less to drink, apperated back to Grimauld Place. They arrived at the doorstep and were greeted by Kreacher, "Master Harry" Kreacher wheezed.

"Hiya, Kreacher" Ron slurred. "D'ya mind if I kip here tonight? I don think I should be apperating while intoxicated" he finished with a hiccup.

"Of course, young Weasley" Kreacher said while bowing deep to his knees.

Ron staggered under the weight of Harry and his inebriation up the stairs to Harry's room and burst through the door. "There y'are, mate" he huffed, dropping a now snoring Harry on his bed. While trying to undo the laces of Harry's trainers Ron heard a low chuckle behind him.

Ron whirled to meet the new sound, too fast and stumbled a little. "Well" greeted the voice from a shadow. "It seems I have everything I need, I'll just be going" continued the voice that materialized into a disheveled and misshapen man when he stepped from the darkness.

In a flash Ron had his wand drawn "who are you" he demanded in his soberest of tones.

"Just a fan" came the creaky reply. Before Ron could react the man jumped and twisted in mid-air, his body being consumed upon itself and with a snap of a cape he was gone.

"Well" Ron drawled, "Shit."

**Love it! Lots more words this time, my longest chapter yet, and may be my best (you guys tell me if so). I can't promise they will all be that long from now on, but I think I might know how I would like to write and am starting to come into that. Let me know what you think of this one and the next will be up soon.**


	14. A Trip Down Under

**I was going to wait to update (hah that rhymed ) but I love to see all the views and response I can get back so I did it sooner. You're welcome. Now, I'm getting the vibe that you guys aren't getting that these appearances of this guy are the work of the same guy. So, to be clear, the fiendfyre setter; the creeper in the field; and this guy: all the same. Any time an unnamed person is mentioned in this story it's the same guy (he's the bad guy). I'll try to be more explicit in my writing, but thank you guys for reading it anyway.**

Chapter 14: A Trip Down Under

"KREACHER," Ron bellowed. The man's laugh still ringing in his ears, Ron could not clear the image of the disappearing form from his head.

"Yes, master Weasley" Kreacher wheezed, bowing low again.

Ron reached down and grabbed the elf by the throat and screamed into his face, "Who did you let in here?"

"N-no one… master Weasley" Kreacher gasped, trying to pry the fingers from his tiny throat.

Ron dropped the little elven body to the floor with a clatter, and produced his wand. He concentrated for a moment and a silvery terrier leapt from his wand to sprint through the wall. He turned back to the quivering elf at his feet, leveling his wand as he spoke "Don't lie to me Kreacher, who did you let in."

"None… sir" Kreacher whispered between gasps and dry retches. "The house has remained empty since your and Master Harry's departure." Kreacher raised a shaking hand to protect himself from Ron's wrath.

Realizing his anger was directed toward an innocent, he slowly lowered his wand and moved to console the elf. "I'm sorry, Kreacher. I had to be sure you weren't trying to off Harry or something." He patted the creature's shoulders and helped him to his feet. "Now, really I am sorry, but once you feel up to it could you get us something to sober us up" he asked in his nicest tone.

Kreacher wiped the snot from his long nose and bowed again, "certainly sir." He disappeared with a crack, followed by a softer snap on one of the landings below.

Ron turned to his still snoring friend and kicked the half-tied trainer on his left foot. "Wha-" Harry started, sitting upright. "Whoseit" he asked stupidly before falling back onto the pillows.

Ron sighed and smacked him across each cheek. A loud pop was heard behind him, he turned to see Kreacher holding a bottle of the murkiest potion in a dusty tumbler. Heaving the barely conscious Harry to a sitting position, Ron and Kreacher forced the inebriated man to swallow it all. "Thank you, Kreacher" Ron said while making the now empty glass disappear.

"My pleasure, sir. I will let in your guests" he added with a bow before vanishing from the room.

"Uhg" Harry spluttered. "What was that" he asked moving his tongue in and out of his mouth, trying to rid the taste.

"_Instant Sobriety_" Ron answered dryly. "We have a problem" he finished, looking gravely at his friend.

_

* * *

Ron shared all he knew to his father, three Aurors, and seven other Ministry officers that worked the magical forensics of the house. Harry sat on the couch and never moved, he sat in stony silence staring at the wall in front of him.

"Right, well these guys are going to be here a while" Mr. Weasley said wearily "why don't you two get a room somewhere in London."

Ron got slowly to his feet and looked at his father, "wouldn't the Burrow be safer" he asked.

"No" Mr. Weasley said grimly. "Our friend" he said gesturing towards the ceiling "already attacked there once, with all the protection the ministry could offer. It's too easy for him there."

Ron looking back at his father, shocked. "Are you sure it's the same man" he asked.

"I certainly hope so" replied Mr. Weasley. "We have a major problem if there is more than one wizard that can penetrate the most powerful wards we can give" he added, his voice rising into hysterics slightly.

Ron nodded and looked at the still silent Harry, "C'mon mate" he said pulling the dazed man to his feet. With Harry following, Ron started to the door.

"Oh, and Ron" Mr. Weasley called after them. "Better stay in muggle London for now" he added with a grimace.

_

* * *

Harry shuffled to the doorstep and shut the front door behind them both. "Grab hold" he commanded. Once Ron's hand had a firm grasp on his shoulder he turned into the cold air and felt the all-too familiar suffocating sensation. They appeared in an alley behind a dumpster that contained fermenting fish heads. The smell was nauseating, though neither said anything.

"Where are we" Ron asked at once.

"A Place I saw once on a trip with the family" Harry said, spitting the last word out. "The _Dew Drop Inn_" he added humorlessly.

"Catchy" Ron responded brightly. Leave it to Mr. Weasley's son to turn a dangerous situation into an interesting adventure into the muggle world.

Harry strode forward, glancing around to check his surroundings before turning the corner to face the front of the building. "Let me do the talking" Harry said in an emotionless tone, and with that he opened the door wide and walked into the shabby looking lobby.

_

* * *

Harry and Ron both slept very little that night; Ron dreamt of the unknown intruder and the maniacal expression that held his face while he smiled at Ron. Harry thought of the intruder too, but without the face that Ron saw. Harry's mind kept putting another face on the shriveled old man. Voldemort's pale, snake-like face filled his head and kept him from rest until the sun's rays brought relief to his beleaguered mind. They woke and dressed quietly, choosing to leave for the office early, rather than sit and allow the last night's events sit in their memories any longer.

They apparated separately and landed in the ministry apparation point within seconds of each other. In front of where they landed were several other Aurors as well as the Minister himself. "Harry, Ron" he greeted each of them with a nod. "I have something for you" he continued, turning from them to walk away "if you could follow me please" he said over his shoulder.

"What's up" Harry asked urgently. "Who was in my house?"

The Minister stopped and turned back to face them, "I have no idea Harry" he started slowly. "But we will find out, and we will stop him" he added fiercely. A byproduct of his Auror days, Kingsley had yet to master the art of inexpressions and a stony, calculating demeanor. "Anyway" Kingsley continued, wheeling to march back towards the lifts to carry them to his office. "We have located the Grangers and we are dispatching you and Ron with one slightly more experienced Auror to bring them back. And Hermione of course" he added as an afterthought.

They reached the lifts which ended the conversation until the space cleared again. "Why so much protection" Ron asked, "are you expecting trouble?"

"Hardly," Kingsley chuckled, deep from his throat "but there have been Voldemort sympathizers as close as New Guinea, so we need to be careful." As he said that the smile slid from his face and the lift doors opened, giving Harry and Ron full view of the calamity that was the Auror department. People were scurrying across the room, cluttered with cubicles covered in pictures and charts. "Gawain," Kingsley shouted to a flustered wizard hunched over a table with three others.

"Yessir" he called back, hurrying to the Minister.

"Your newest recruits" Kingsley said while patting Harry and Ron on the back. "I think you should brief them as soon as possible so they can get started. I must be off" he added with a smile before shoving them both into the office.

"Yes sir" Gawain grumbled with as much insubordination as he could muster without being disrespectful. He glared at Ron and Harry "this way," he snapped. He led the two past all the commotion to a back alcove with a door, which bore a simple name plaque: Gawain Robards, Auror's Department. Robards opened the door and entered his even more cluttered office to begin shuffling papers around on his desk. "Have a seat, won't you" he snapped at them without looking up.

Harry and Ron sat in the two chairs in front of the overflowing desk and waited for their boss to find whatever he was searching for. "Sir, I understand we are going to Australia to bring the Grangers back" Ron said timidly.

"Yes" Robards sighed impatiently, "you both get a nice little vacation from this mess" he added bitterly. "Here" he said impatiently, "these are your orders. Read them then destroy them" he added, shoving pieces of parchment under both of their noses. "Now get out of here" he snapped again "I've got too much work to do to babysit a couple rookies" he said as he ushered them back out of the office and slammed the door in their faces.

"He's an alright bloke, once you get to know him" said a passing Auror. "Jim Savage" the man said, offering his hand. Introductions were made around, the usual glace to Harry's scar was taken, and the man called Savage was gone again, leaving Harry and Ron alone again.

"Right, shall we" Ron offered.

_

* * *

Hermione sat next to a snoring Ron in her airline seat reading her book, although she had read the same paragraph repeatedly so she sat in her airline seat and stared at her book. She knew she was being silly, but could not stop the thoughts nonetheless. _What if I can't fix it, _she thought. _What if they hate me?_ Joe returned to his seat just then, distracting her from her thoughts. Joe was nice enough, albeit odd sometimes. He stood not much taller than Harry, nor any more different in his build. His eyes were also the same color as Harry's, but subdued somehow. If Harry's eyes were emeralds, hard and bright; Joe's where made of fabric, dark and soft.

"Can I help you with something" Joe asked quietly, smiling like he always is. Hermione had little experience with Americans, but the one encounter with American tourists she had was awful. "Are you ok" he asked, smile gone replaced instead with a look of concern.

She flashed an insincere smile and answered "yes. Just a bit nervous."

"Nervous to see your parents" he questioned, his smile returning. "What happens when you meet someone you don't know."

She laughed in spite of herself, "No about putting them back in their minds, and whether they'll forgive me" she concluded, her frown returning.

Joe snorted slightly and settled himself more comfortably in his chair "If my parents can forgive me for making their mirror talk, and not put it back" he added with a grin "yours ought to be able to see about forgiving you for saving their lives."

Hermione furrowed her brow, "why didn't they just un-charm the mirror" she asked.

He opened his eyes to beam at her, "because they don't know how" he answered with a huge grin. "They're both Gnymps" he said, resting his head back again.

Her brow creased further, "'Gnymps'" she repeated. "What is that" she asked.

Joe sat up and turned to her, "non-magical people. Why, what do you call 'em" he asked, his own curiosity peaked.

"Muggles of course. I thought it was a universal term" she replied, amazed.

"Apparently not" he responded. "But," he started again, "that's just where I'm from. It could be different somewhere else."

"And where exactly are you from" asked Hermione, completely enthralled by her new study. She looked at him like and anthropologist would look at an undiscovered Amazonian tribe.

"A little place in North Carolina" responded Joe. "A long way from here" he continued, looking past Hermione out of her window. She looked too, gazing at the sea below her. The Great Barrier Reef was directly below them, but stretched into the horizon. Hermione had never seen a more beautiful sight, she woke Ron to show him as well, he was a little too cranky to appreciate it fully.

_

* * *

Ron, Hermione, and Harry stood in the terminal in Sydney International Airport, waiting for their companion to come back with their one normal bag. It was purely aesthetic, as they could carry all they needed in Hermione's magically expandable bag, but it was needed to keep up appearances.

"What is the story on Joe" Hermione asked quietly. "Why is he here" she pressed with just a hint of suspicion.

"Easy killer" Ron teased. "If me and Harry didn't see anything in the seventy days we were living with him" he continued, "there is nothing to see."

"Ron's right Hermione" Harry agreed, turning to a flushed Hermione. "He didn't even ask me anything about myself. He didn't know anything about me" Harry exclaimed to a shocked Hermione.

"Ok, but what is his story" she pressed again.

Harry looked at Ron and Ron looked at Harry, both shrugged before Harry answered, "let's ask him."

**All right. What did you think? I can already hear the screams now: _'You said this would be canon compliant, why is Hermione flirting with this Joe fellow?' _Calm down my sensitive few; Hermione is just the type of person that wants to learn as much as she can and Joe gives her a chance to learn about another magical culture. This story will end with Ron-Hermy and Harry-Ginny combos. Anywho, please tell me what you think of this latest installment. Until the next time.**


	15. A Reunion

**Guys, I'm not getting any reviews. I'm not going to be a baby about it and cry and not update until you review but I need you guys to help me by reviewing the story. Tell me what you think about the characters, their dialogue, where you hope to see the story go.**

**By the way, you pronounce Joe's parents classification without the 'G.' Like gnat. Just for your information, I know I hate it when I don't know if I'm pronouncing a made-up word right.**

Chapter 15: A Reunion

"So your parents are squibs" Harry asked, shocked.

"I've never heard of such a thing" Ron added, equally shocked. "I know Muggles have magical kids, obviously" he amended, placing a hand on Hermione's. "And pureblooded families have squibs all the time, but I never thought squibs could have magical children" he finished, looking thoroughly confused.

"I guess" Joe responded as he looked out the window at the passing Australian outback. As soon as they all had gotten into the taxi they had done nothing but bombard him with questions. He figured it was just their way of accepting him into their group. Joe could tell, without hearing the stories, that these three friends were a tight-knit bunch.

"How did you grow up then" asked Hermione. "I mean were you raised in the muggle world or the magical one?"

"Both I guess" Joe answered, turning back to his interrogators. "My grandparents had a large role in my life, especially once I found out I was magical. I learned how to do all the basic gnymp stuff at home and went to school in the fall to learn about magic. Where are we going by the way" he asked quickly.

"Abbotsbury" Hermione answered even quicker. "How does the schooling work in your country" she asked, her eyes bright with anticipation. "When do you start? How long are you there? What do you learn about?"

"One at a time" Joe laughed, before quickly glancing at their driver to see if the illusion charm still worked. It would not do to have the driver to see his passengers laughing with no sound coming from their mouths. "Well" Joe started, taking in a deep breath. "Every magical boy and girl gets a letter at age ten, inviting them to attend Humelift Academy. After seven years of education you graduate, hopefully" he added with a grin "then you spend one more year at a preparatory college that suits your career choice."

"Is that why Kingsley said you had 'slightly more experience'" Harry asked.

"I guess" Joe answered "but really I'm just like the both of you" he continued, nodding at Harry and Ron.

"Why did you decide to become an Auror in England" Hermione asked as she rested her head on Ron's shoulder.

"I wanted a change" replied Joe after a moment's hesitation. "I also wanted to be a part of the most elite magical police force in the world" he added in a softer tone, color seeping into his cheeks.

The conversation died for the rest of the trip into Abbostbury as the passengers decided to watch the scenery pass. The Australian outback was unlike anything the four young adults in the back seat of the car had seen. The arid landscape ended unnaturally quickly as the sprawling suburban developments with their perfectly manicured lawns cut into the plains. The taxi sputtered to a halt in front of one house with a porch and a gravel path that led to the sidewalk. "Thirty-eight dollars please" the driver chimed after glancing at the receipt.

Unsure of the tipping procedure for taxi-cab drivers, Harry handed the man a fifty dollar note. "Keep the change" he said with a smile before turning to follow his friends up the path to the house.

"What's our plan" Hermione hissed half way up the walk. "What do we say to them?" They reached the bottom of the stairs to the front porch and waited anxiously for some inspiration to happen to one of their number.

After a moment of deliberation, Joe strode purposefully to the door "we'll just wing it" he muttered along the way. The three followed and were right behind him when he knocked on the white-washed wooden door.

"Yes" answered a middle-aged man with sandy blonde hair and chestnut eyes. "Can I help you with something" he asked, opening the door a little wider.

"Yes sir" Joe answered, "we are students from Sydney University doing water table analysis, would you mind answering a few questions about your tap water."

The man was visibly taken aback by the answer, but collected himself enough to answer Joe. "Sure, sure come on in. Would you care for anything to drink? Coffee, tea? " he asked, directing them to a room with plush chairs and a matching sofa. They all declined his offer and sat on one of the sofas, facing an overstuffed chair with a matching pouf.

A woman walked into the room a moment later, clutching a rag in her yellow patterned rubber gloves. "What's all this then" she asked brightly to her husband before seating herself on the footstool next to him.

The three men looked at Hermione to continue, but she sat unmoving and uttering not a single sound. "Well, sir" Joe started after clearing his throat.

"Wendell, please" Mr. Granger provided. "And this is my wife Monica" he added, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder.

"Wendell" Joe smiled, "the reason we are here… uh is because of some irregularities in uh the water table in your sub-division." Joe paused and adjusted his collar, looking at Hermione. "Hermione here has some figures to share, don't you Hermione" Joe gulped, looking pointedly at Hermione.

"Erm…" Hermione started "well I had better get on with it" she stated with a weak smile. Hermione stood before the sofa and her parents, pulling her wand from the small bag that she clutched in her left hand. "If you would both be very still this won't hurt a bit" she assured them with a nod. Hermione closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath, leveling her wand at the horror struck pair, accusing eyes staring at the girl in front of them.

"N-now see here…" Mr. Granger started, but stopped short when a brilliant light filled both his and his wife's eyes for an instant before they were dark again.

Hermione stood apprehensively, chewing on her lower lip while she waited to see if all had gone well in accordance to the book. _It didn't work. I've made it worse, _she thought. _I've gone and brain damaged them too._ "Oh…" she whimpered, burying her face in her hands and starting toward the door.

"Hermione" called the unsure woman.

Hermione whirled to see the voice that called her name. "Mum" she choked out of her starting sobs. She ran into her waiting mother's arms, quickly to be joined by her equally teary-eyed father. "I-I-I'm s-so sor(hic)ry" she wailed into the chests of her parents as the patted her head and whispered consoling words into her hair.

_

* * *

Ginny shuffled along the corridor to the locker room to meet her team, arms crossed and head bowed in submission. She had been training her Quidditch team too hard and she knew it; not that this knowledge would save her from the scowls or dissemination of her abuse to the rest of the school. They had to know that she cared about them and all this pushing she was doing was only to make them a better team. It started when she saw Gwenog Jones in the stands during one of their practices. Gwenog told her that her team, the Holyhead Harpies, was going to be in the market for a new chaser after this season and that she had her eye on Ginny. Ginny, of course, was ecstatic before she realized that if her team was bad that it might make her look bad as well. This pushed her to push her team; she pressed them to their very limits and now she was afraid that there was a certain mutiny brewing.

She opened the door to the locker room and the talking behind it ceased immediately. Ginny shut the door quietly before clearing her throat to get the attention of her team in order to make an announcement. "Er listen up please" she said in a raised tone. She still had trouble addressing them as their leader. "Look I know I've been foul these past few weeks" she started but paused to let the snorts and 'too rights' die down. "And you deserve to know why" Ginny continued in the same raised voice. "Before the match with Ravenclaw, after our last practice, Gwenog Jones spoke to me and said that she was going to keep watching me to see if I might make a good addition to their team. I'm not telling you this to brag" she supplied hastily at the sight of rolling eyes, "I'm just saying that's why I've been such a horrible captain." Her head dropped at that and she refused to look at her team while she spoke in a softer tone that they had to strain to hear it all. "It's no excuse I know and I'm sorry. The next practice is rescheduled for this Saturday, so everyone has three days to rest up" she added with the corner of her mouth twitching in an attempt at a smile.

The room murmured in confusion, "does that mean no practice tonight" Peakes blurted out finally. The room's atmosphere changed drastically, instead of brooding discontent there was a restrained feeling of jubilation. The team shuffled to the door and spoke loudly of what they could do with a free evening for once. Dean wondered aloud what happened to the real Ginny. They all marched past her, patting her on the back or shoulder saying things along the lines of forgiveness and how they probably would have been the same way. Ginny stood in the room for a moment looking around at the chamber that held a row of lockers along one wall and a small office across the small expanse with the single old oil lamp in the window, with the dancing light it cast. _Why is my lamp lit, _Ginny wondered. She wandered over to investigate the reason behind its sudden combustion.

She slid the door across the dusty floor to peer into the darkened room, save the one dancing light on the window sill. Ginny glanced around the room before blowing out the one source of light and turning to walk back to the door of the locker room.

**AHH! And you thought something would happen to Ginny, not this chapter my friends, maybe not ever, then again maybe in the next chapter. Anyway, this one wasn't so bad; it had a little of Hermione's parents and some of Joe's story, that's good... right? Tell me if you liked it; tell me if you hated it (just tell me why).**

**PS. I have all but abandoned my attempts at British sounding dialouge. If you want it better I need a brit's help, now step lively. Until next time.**


	16. A Game to Remember

**Sorry for the slight delay. I know I had been spoiling you with fairly expedient, albeit erratic, updates. Nonetheless, writer's block will not hold me forever; alas I have vanquished it for now. The last chapter exploded with hits... but not so much with comments. Oh well, I'm not going to say anything else about it. Enjoy! **

Chapter 16: A Game to Remember

Harry embraced Ginny quickly before ushering her to the changing room, "Go, your team's waiting on you" he said with a laugh. She smiled broadly and stood taller to kiss him swiftly before turning to skip to the door of the locker room. Harry beamed at the girl of his dreams as her shape disappeared from sight. He was happy. He did not know such pleasure could be had from the company of another human. Naturally Ron and Hermione had always been there, and he loved them like the brother and sister he thought them as, but Ginny seemed to fill a void in his life that Harry could not remember having until he lost her. Everything about her lifted his spirits; her laugh, the way she looked at him and only him, how her every mood affected him the same as her. Whenever she was happy, he was at his happiest. He remembered the lilting feeling he got when her eyes were positively dancing with excitement as she told him about the Harpies wanting her for their team.

Harry thought about that day as he made his way toward the pitch to find his seat with Ron and Hermione. She was nervous at first to tell him and even more nervous to tell her parents about her most recent career choice. '_They won't like it_' she said. '_I'll just be a disappointment to them; just being a _quidditch _player_' she continued in Harry's mind, saying the word like it was an insult. It took him a few minutes to reassure her that no matter what she did her parents would support her. He did not know if that was exactly true, he knew nothing of Ginny's parent's dreams for their only daughter. He was nervous of that conversation too.

"Oi! Harry, over here" he heard a man's voice a row up in the stands. A crimson clad pair of Ron and Hermione were nestled next to a similarly dressed Neville and Luna. Harry and Ron had been working the graveyard shift at the Auror headquarters since they returned from Australia. Being a two week-old Auror, Harry- along with his graduating class- was relegated to working the most ungodly of hours. The bright side of him being on a nocturnal schedule was his being able to see his Ginny all day on the weekends; specifically, come to her games.

"Hey guys" Harry said breathlessly. The climb to the top of the stands was intense. He seated himself between Ron and Neville, both of whom had blankets and were sitting very close to the girls beside them. Harry never heard that Neville and Luna got together; it suited them, he supposed. He did not know why but they seemed to fit with each other, Harry was happy for his other friends. Ron and Hermione's bickering caused him to miss the opening battle for the quaffle. Ginny won control of the Quaffle and quickly reversed field to bolt to the hoops ducking and diving defenders, passing and receiving like a pro.

_

* * *

Ginny flew like a woman possessed. The score was already a lopsided 120 to thirty in favor of Gryffindor, half of those points belonging to Ginny, ten minutes into the match. She thought she caught a glimpse of Gwenog in the stands, but when she flew by the same piece of real estate it was only a sour looking Ravenclaw girl. She whipped her broom around to put herself on a collision course with the opposing ball-carrier. The other chaser had no choice but to pass, which Ginny anticipated and swooped under the motion to intercept the errant throw. She was on a break-away with Demelza Robbins on her flank and the keeper in front of her. She raced towards the goals, her mind calculating the distances and the best tactic to pursue in this instance. Ginny feinted towards the left goal and made a throwing motion towards the right; Demelza was right there to catch the pass and heave the quaffle through the now vacated hoop. The crowd's road was followed by a quick intake of breath. Ginny wheeled her broom around to face where the sudden gasp had come from. She saw their seeker with a slight edge over his opponent reach for a shiny glint of gold; then nothing but blackness followed. No pain, no feeling of any kind; just a cold darkness enveloped her.

_

* * *

Harry was watching the seeker too. He followed him for most of the game, but would not tell Ginny that later. Harry saw the Gryffindor seeker attack towards a part of the field in an attempt to make the opposing seeker follow him. The Ravenclaw seeker was not fooled. He had already seen the snitch and was lying on his broom handle to pursue it. It was through pure broom power that allowed Harry's replacement to catch the other player. The slight boy that was the Ravenclaw seeker overran the object, an inexperienced mistake; unforgivable under the circumstances. Gryffindor's bigger seeker stopped short, inexplicably quickly and reached out to snatch the snitch from the air. Harry's cheer was not heard over the explosion of noise all around him. He looked over the confusion to see if he could find Ginny at the other end of the pitch and when he could not he was confused. Confusion turned to horror as he saw the shock of red hair fluttering through the air as Ginny plummeted towards the earth.

_

* * *

Ginny's dreamt of Harry's beautiful face. She was not sure why she was dreaming and not celebrating her victory or sulking in her defeat but she dreamt nonetheless. Harry's smiling face crept closer to her not speaking, only smiling sweetly at her. "What are you smiling about" she asked him groggily. "Did we win?" He only smiled and said nothing and Ginny was beginning to get agitated. "_What _are you smiling at" she snapped. Harry's smile or silence never faltered as he leaned in to kiss her on the forehead. A sharp pain radiated from the spot of his kiss. "Oh" she gasped. "Not yet dear" she said quietly, eyes watering. "I'm still a bit tender there."

His smile faltered slightly "sorry love," he whispered. "I have a question to ask you," he whispered further, reaching his robe pocket and kneeling to put his face closer to hers. "I know we're young, and we haven't been together for very long" he continued laying a black satin box on the sheets next to her head. "Will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me" he whispered, opening the box to reveal a simple silver band with a single diamond surrounded by smaller stones she did not recognize.

_

* * *

Harry watched his fiery haired angel sleep. He could not help thinking that she was an angel, even with her head bandaged and her drooling slightly. Be leaned over to kiss her gently on the forehead, but instantly regretted it. She whimpered and recoiled into her pillows. Harry turned to whisper into her ear, "sorry love." Harry sat back into his chair and looked at his watch; eleven twenty three. She had been unconscious for ten hours now and although Harry had been assured by Madam Pomfrey that Ginny's head wound would heal and she would be fine, he could not help but to worry incessantly. He sighed thoughtfully and considered going across the room to help himself to some of Madam Pomfrey's fresh pot of tea. Ginny sat, suddenly, bolt upright with a gasp, and thrashed violently until she met Harry's surprised gaze. Ginny flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and squealing, "I do! I do!" She kissed and hugged him as hard as she could.

Harry was too shocked to make a coherent thought, "Wh-… what do you do" he spluttered.

Ginny collected herself enough to realize that she was no longer dreaming and she had made an embarrassing miscalculation. Harry had no intention of asking her to many him. "Nothing, just a weird dream. I thought I had a golden ticket" she smiled slightly. Harry laughed openly at the seeming absurdity of Ginny's dream. The door to the ward opened quietly and a hushed voice called out to them.

"Hello," the voice called out.

"Go on in" said the cool voice of Professor McGonagall. Harry turned in his chair to see the Headmistress walking towards them with the captain of the Holyhead Harpies, Gwenog Jones. Ginny started to sit back up and pull the blanket off.

"Please don't get up" Gwenog started, hurrying forward to press Ginny back into the bed. "I've just come by to tell you something and then you can get some rest" she said smiling as she seated herself next to Ginny on the mattress. "I saw you play today, you were brilliant."

Ginny beamed back at her, "obviously not" she replied with a grimace "if I ended up with this" she said gingerly fingering the wrappings on her head.

Gwenog shook her head doggedly. "They got you with a cheap shot" she stated heatedly. "The game was finished when that bludger was hit at you. He was just angry that you showed them how Quiditch is supposed to be played" she added with a wry smile.

"You were saying" Harry pressed after a moment.

"Ah, right" she started, her face lightening even more. "I have decided to let you try-out with the Harpies" she said slowly drawing it out. "Once your education is finished of course" she added, nodding at Professor McGonagall.

"I can't believe it" Ginny breathed. "Are you serious" she shrieked.

"Yes, quite" Gwenog replied evenly with a broad grin seeping in from the corners of her cheeks.

"That is quite enough excitement out here" exclaimed a flustered Madam Pomfrey as she burst through the door that separated her quarters with the ward. She drew her robe around her night gown while she advanced on the small gathering. "Out, the lot of you" she said forcefully.

Realizing that there was no arguing with the mother hen-like school nurse, Ginny conceded defeat and beckoned Harry over to say good night. She pulled him down to her face and brushed her lips over his; feather light, before adding pressure and moved her lips with his. Their encounter was brief, but contained enough emotion that Harry shivered involuntarily after he withdrew. "G'night" she whispered smoothly.

"Night, my love" he whispered back, his breath washing over her face; it was her turn to shiver. "I'll be here when you wake up" he promised as he left with Gwenog and Professor McGonagall.

With one last glare, Madam Pomfrey shut the door with a snap. "Thank you for allowing me to intrude so late" Gwenog said amiably to McGonagall.

"Certainly, Ms. Jones" McGonagall answered, smiling back at the exiting woman. "Harry" McGonagall started, turning to her former pupil.

"Professor" Harry answered.

"I have something for you, if you would follow me please" she announced, turning to walk down the hallway towards her office.

_

* * *

It had been a year and a half since Harry had been in the Headmistress' office; it was at a bitter sweet time that Harry did not forget. The march up the circle staircase was a solemn occasion as McGonagall seemed to remember the last time too. The professor opened the door to her office and strode around to the back of her desk. Harry peered in and entered tentatively looking above the Head Mistress' chair at the sleeping Dumbledore's portrait. Professor McGonagall was staring at him, Harry lowered his gaze from the portrait to meet the professor's.

"Dumbledore had wanted to give you this himself, but…" her voice trailed off as Harry's throat tightened around his windpipe. "No matter" she continued. "These are some things from your parent's house in Godric's Hollow" she said, pushing a old, weathered cardboard box across her desk. It was no bigger than an ordinary shoebox, but as Harry had learned, size had no meaning in the magical world.

With his breath caught in his throat, he slowly walked towards the desk and the box of his parent's most immediate possessions. His hands shook slightly as he placed them around the lip of the box and lifted the lid to reveal what was hidden beneath. His breathing increased as his heart pounded under his shirt. Interestingly, magic was not used on the container at all. The size of the interior matched the look of the outside. "Thank you professor" Harry said quietly.

"You are no longer my student, Harry" she said delicately. "I think you can address me by my first name."

"Yes professor" Harry answered, smirking at the older woman. "It's going to take some time… Minerva" Harry finished, concentrating on the last word.

Minerva smiled back at him, "indeed" she responded. "I believe you have a shift to report to" she reminded him, her old instructor's voice coming back.

"Yes, professor" Harry said quickly, putting the top back on the box and allowed himself to be escorted back to the door. As the door closed quietly behind him he opened the box again and removed a much smaller box to tuck into his robes. With a careful wave of his wand he sent the box to Grimauld Place. Harry made his way to the first floor, passing all his old haunts and classrooms. As he passed the well remembered routes he had used since his childhood, the weight from the object in his pocket weighed heavily on his mind as well. He placed his hand in his robe pocket and clutched the small satin box as he rounded the corner into Hogsmeade to apperate to the Ministry.

**That's it for number sixteen, what did you think? I know I've gotten away from Ron-Hermione, but you needn't worry the next couple chapters will have plenty of both. Let me know what you thought of it and I'll update as soon as I can. **


	17. A Question of Love

**Ok, here's number seventeen. I know I promised Ron-Hermione but once I start writing these chapters kinda have a mind of their own. On an exciting note, I've already had more hits this month than all of last month with about half the updates. Anyway, on with the show!**

Chapter 17: A Question of Love

Ron twirled a quill absently in his fingers as he thought about Hermione. In the hour that separated his and Harry's shifts Ron never got anything done, apart from writing a letter or two to Hermione. She got a job with the ministry too; well she will have a job as soon as she finishes her final year of Hogwarts. Newt Scamander owled her three days ago and practically begged her to accept a position on his team and of course she agreed, being that Newt dealt with the control of magical creatures and she was still set on freeing the house elves. Ron tilted back in his chair as he looked at his watch; twelve o-one. Harry was late_, he's never late_, Ron thought while his chair dropped back to the floor with a loud boom.

Loud guffaws were heard from the doorway as Harry had shown up just in time to see his friend fall on his back. Ron hurried to his feet in the midst Harry's chortles as he made his way to his own chair. "What kept you" Ron asked, resetting his chair.

Harry took a moment to catch his breath before responding. "McGonagall had something that Dumbledore left me. While he was still alive" Harry added to a shocked Ron.

"I wouldn't put anything past Dumbledore" Ron answered. "Well, what did he leave you?"

Harry had turned back to his desk after he answered Ron, and he did not answer right away. "Hm? Oh, just some things my parents had on them" he answered dismissively.

"Oh" Ron replied. He knew Harry had something to tell him, but he wasn't going to ask. Harry would tell him when he wanted. So Ron started on his work for the night. He began reading a report on the possible flights of some of the Death Eaters, and he did not notice Harry squatting next to him.

"Ron, I got something to ask you" Harry said lowly.

Ron jumped, clutching his heart and he yelled at Harry, "Why're you sneaking up on me". He had a strained expression on his face as he looked at Ron and he spun something shiny on his finger. Ron recognized a ring, but did not understand why Harry had it. "Honestly, Harry I don't think I'm your type."

"Wha-… no… stupid. Not you, I want to ask Ginny to marry me" Harry replied, his face growing paler.

"… Do y'all want any of this coffee. I just made a fresh-" Joe strolled into the office, holding two mugs with steam coming from the edge. "Oh… weh… ah-yeah" he said before quickly turning and almost running from the room.

"When," Ron responded without looking at Harry.

"I don't know" Harry admitted, standing finally and placing the ring back in his Auror overcoat. "Maybe over Christmas" Harry offered.

Ron nodded thoughtfully, "she'd like that. Why do you want to marry her" he said suddenly, rounding on Harry.

"Wha- what do you mean? I love her" Harry responded, backing away from his suddenly fierce friend. "I want to be with her for the rest of my life, and to show that the best way I know how is to enter into a bond as powerful and intimate as marriage."

Ron swept his eyes over his friend's face for a moment before nodding slightly, "Ok, I know I've been a bit of a pain when it comes to you two" he ignored the subsequent snort "but I trust you with her. I think you will treat her well, so as stupid it sounds" he finished backing away, offering his hand "I support this."

"I don't even know what to say" Harry answered truthfully.

"Say you won't hurt her. Ever."

"I won't ever hurt her" Harry replied slowly, trying to force it to be with his words.

_

* * *

Harry was able to leave the Ministry and get to Hogwarts just in time to see Ginny being released from the hospital ward. She still had a bandage on her head but Madam Pomfrey said that could come off within the hour. Harry looked into Ginny's eyes with new light. He kissed her hello on the lips. "Hey you" he said when he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Hey yourself" she replied, looking up at Harry. "You must be exhausted, have you even slept yet" she asked concernedly.

"Not yet" Harry said with a shrug. "I'm ok for now. I wanted to see you when you got up."

"Well I will have none of it. You get only get a few hours of daylight and most of that has to be asleep. I'm not going to be the one to ruin everyone's day with a cranky Harry. Besides, I need to finish a report for potions and you are a distraction, sir" she said in a silkily accented voice, walking her fingers up his chest.

"Alright then" Harry said in a mock-hurt voice. "I'll see you as soon as I can. And don't get too busy not to write" he said as he started to leave, holding on to her hand as long as his arm would allow.

_

* * *

Although Harry had bidden goodbye to Ginny under the guise of getting some sleep, he actually had a lunch date. Once he was clear of the wards surrounding the castle he sent a patronus to Mr. Weasley, asking if he would be taking his lunch at the Burrow. Harry turned into the constricting blackness of disapperation and appeared in the field in front of the Burrow. Much had changed about the Burrow. A ring of blackened grass and earth still surrounded the new home that was shared by most of the Weasleys. This home was no longer precariously positioned with various timbers to hold up the additions made over the years. The new house stood as tall, but straighter and sturdier looking, however it did not look more homey.

"Harry, dear come in come in don't stand in the yard like a ninny come in" shouted a plump woman from the doorway of the newly built house. Harry smiled at the sight of the mother figure of his life. His heart quickened at the thought of her becoming even more of a mother to him. He crossed the yard quickly and strode into the new kitchen as Mrs. Weasley busied herself with last minute lunch preparations. "Hello dear" Mrs. Weasley said without turning to face her guest as she finished sautéing the onions. "Have a biscuit."

"Thank you Mrs. Weasley" Harry said as he sat in the middle of the table and nibbled on one of the sweets.

"Now, you listen to me" she said, wheeling around still stirring the onions. "That is about enough of this Mr. and Mrs. Weasley business. We have been through enough that it would be disrespectful to not call us by our first names. You're no longer a child. I'm not sure you ever were," she continued in a soft sympathetic voice "address us as equals" she finished as she served the onions on a corned beef sandwich in front of three places.

"Ok, Mrs.-" his answer was cut short by a sharp look from the motherly woman, "Molly."

"Thank you" she whispered.

"Molly? Is Harry here yet" called Mr. Weasley from the side entrance.

"Yes, dear" she yelled back. "And I've got your plate ready so come and eat before the onions get cold."

"Ah, corned beef, my favorite. Hello Harry my boy" Mr. Weasley greeted Harry before taking a big but not impolite bite of his sandwich. "I almost forgot" Mr. Weasley recounted, "I have a pair of your colleagues outside. They're finishing the report on what happened to the house" he continued as he took a big gulp of milk.

"Really? Who" Harry asked, finally digging into his sandwich.

"Oh, just Ron and another junior Auror" Mr. Weasley answered with a wave of his hand. "They should be about done."

As if on cue, the door opened and a gangly, freckled, lad walked in trailing a shorter and slightly uncomfortable looking man. "We're finished mum, do you have any food left" asked Ron.

"Of course I do" answered his mother exasperatedly. "A warning would have been nice that you were bringing company" she said nodding back towards the door where the other wizard stood.

"No, I wasn't planin' on stayin', I was just about to leave" Joe said as he backed towards the door.

"Nonsense" Mrs. Weasley answered. "Come and sit down" she said sternly, giving him that look that took neither Ron nor Mr. Weasley to warn him to comply.

"Yes ma'am" Joe said subtly and shuffled over to the table and sat next to Harry and obediently waited for his plate and glass.

The conversation was subdued and easy enough, as they each took turns sharing something of their day.

"Right, well I'm off" Ron announced, standing from his place and walking his plate to the sink to rinse it off. He bent down to kiss his mother on the cheek and clapped his father on the back. "I'll see you at the office later Harry" he said giving his friend an important look.

"Yeah, Ron. Um, Mr. Weasley-" a sharp cough from Mrs. Weasley cut him off. "Er, Arthur, could I speak with you a moment please."

After quick glance at his wife he answered in the affirmative and led Harry out the side door towards his shed that held all his muggle artifacts.

_

* * *

Joe was slightly uncomfortable. Both of his reasons for being in this house had left and now he could not think of an excuse to leave without being rude.

"I'm sorry dear I don't think I ever caught your name" Mrs. Weasley said to Joe sweetly.

"Joe, ma'am" Joe said in his southern, gentlemanly voice.

"Oh, please just Molly will be fine" Mrs. Weasley said with a titter. "Ron told me you are from the States" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am. North Carolina to be exact."

"Ah, King Charles' state" she said with a smile.

"You know my state's history" Joe asked, shocked.

"I know _my_ country's history" she corrected. "So are your parents from North Carolina too" she asked.

"Yeah, well my dad is. My mom is from Staten Island, New York but when she married my dad she went with him."

"And what do they do" she asked, growing more interested.

"My dad is a Marine" Joe replied, chasing a loose piece of corned beef around his plate. "And my mom is a letter carrier for the postal service."

"So you're a muggle-born" she asked.

"Sort of" Joe replied. "My parents are gnymps, or… squids as you call them."

"Squibs" Mrs. Weasley corrected. "What is a Marine?"

"They are a branch of the American military, a subsidiary of the American Navy. But don't tell them that" he added with a chuckle. "He's in an administrative position at Lejeune now, but he used to be a weapons testing consultant all over the world."

"Is that why you're an Auror" she wondered. She now started bustling about the kitchen, buffing the counter tops.

"Yeah, I guess. I've always known I would be in the American military, but once I found out I had magically inclined I wanted to pursue that as far as I could. I wonder where Harry and Mr. Weasley went" he said, trying to end the questioning.

"Oh, Harry is going to propose to Ginny and he's asking Arthur about it" she replied with a forced nonchalance.

"Oh… yeah. Well that's comforting" Joe replied, with a heavy exhale. "Ok, thank you for the dinner Mrs. Weasley, but I should be going. There was a home invasion in muggle London and Robards asked if I would look at it on my way back to my house."

"Joe, I understand most of the people you know are in the United States and probably won't be able to see you over Christmas" Mrs. Weasley posed.

"Yeah, probably" Joe answered, appearing thoughtful, as if that's idea had not occurred to him yet.

"Well, I know it might be a bit awkward to begin with; but I would love for you to come to Christmas dinner."

"Oh… I'd be honored."

_

* * *

Mr. Weasley and Harry made their way to the small building that contained all of Mr. Weasley's strange muggle obsession. The silence that followed them to the shed was pressing on Harry. His hands were sweating and his knees were shaking on his way, making it slightly hard to walk in a straight line. They entered the single room and Harry's throat got automatically tight. His hands got even wetter, and his knees knocked together with such ferocity that he needed the edge of the table for support. "So, Harry. What's up?"

With those words, the full weight of the situation fell on him; and he nearly fainted. "W-well, Mr. Weasley. I want to talk about your daughter" he said slowly. "You see I love her with all my heart. I realize that we haven't been together for a terribly long time, and we are fairly young…" Harry rambled for a few more seconds before he was halted by a raised hand from Mr. Weasley.

"What exactly are you trying to say" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Do I have your blessing to ask Ginny to marry me" Harry exhaled all at once.

"Ah, well…"

**What did you think of number seventeen? Let me know what you thought of more of Joe's background. I promise the next time I update it will be Ron and Hermione for most of it. Until next time, happy hunting!**


	18. A Waiting Game

**Ok guys here's number eighteen. The block is getting bigger (That's what she said) and I'm battling through it but I wouldn't mind suggestions. This can be your story too. Kinda.**

Chapter 18: A Waiting Game

After the initial shock Mr. Weasley encountered, he was surprisingly receptive to the idea; as receptive as a father could be at the prospect of marrying his daughter away. "I think you know what you are asking" Mr. Weasley started, slowly. "If you promise me a long eng-engagement" he continued, seemingly gagging on the last word "you have my blessing."

Harry was not planning to actually tie the knot with Ginny until at least a year after the day he proposed, he hoped she would agree. "Yes, of course" he practically shouted at the older man. Harry crossed the short space between them and wrapped Arthur in a muscle tearing hug, lifting the man off his feet momentarily. Harry was giddy with excitement and delight. His excitement had yet to turn to fear.

_

* * *

Hermione sat in a booth at the Three Broomsticks watching the snow fall lazily to the street outside. It was the first Saturday of December and most of the school was able to go to Hogsmeade Villiage for some much needed rest and relaxation. She was waiting on Ron, but only because she was early. Hermione thought of him often. She rarely got to see him anymore, which was strange for her. Normally she thought her day did not start until she had her morning argument with Ron, but now she had no contact at all. As irritable as she can become with Ron's quirks, this lack of physical, and even more importantly emotional experience was draining her spirits. She could not last much longer. Ron entered a moment later and located Hermione to flash her his famous smile. _God, I love that smile, _she though, waving him over.

"Hey love" he said over the cluttered, noise filled room before pecking her gently on the lips. He lingered there for an extra moment and smiled at the subsequent shiver that followed her response.

"Hey yourself" she said.

"You haven't been waiting long, have you" he asked, flagging Madam Rosemerta toward their table.

"No, only a minute. Could we have two more butterbeers please" she asked the bar maid. Hermione turned her attention back to the man across the table from her. "What's up?"

The butterbeers were delivered quickly and Hermione waited until Madam Rosemerta left them again. "Ron, I have something to say" she said slowly. "Don't interrupt until I finish" she added firmly.

"Ok" Ron said warily, sipping on his butterbeer.

Hermione hesitated for a moment "I hate this separation; I can't take it anymore. I miss us being able to talk and be together" she said reaching out to take Ron's hand. "I'm hurting and I don't want to hurt anymore"

Ron's head was spinning, finally it had come. She was leaving. She decided she did not want to be with him anymore, and he did not know why. What could he have done? His face paled and a clammy chill started at his neck and crept down his spin and settled like a stone in his stomach. Ron's intestines seemed to twist into a knot; but worst of all his heart stopped. His heart hitched and tore down the middle.

"W-what are you saying" he asked anyway, hoping for a misunderstanding.

Hermione looked at Ron's whitened face and mashed her eyebrows together "I'm saying I' don't want to come back next term" she finished with a slightly less that tolerant expression on her face. "I've already spoken with professor McGonagall and she is speaking with the board of governors to let me take my NEWTs early."

"Oh" Ron squeaked before hastily taking a gulp of his butterbeer.

"What did you think I meant" she questioned, looking at him sternly.

"Nothing" he said quickly, "do you think you'll be ready in time" Ron asked, trying to distract her in the only way he knew how; with talk of school.

"Oh, my goodness I hope so. I need to study for Arithmancy and…" she forgot of her suspicions and began to ramble about how she would surely fail all of her courses, but Ron was only half listening. His mind was now turning what Hermione said. His over-stretched imagination was now working on a plan that now could be implemented much sooner.

_

* * *

_23 days later:_

Ron knocked on the door of flat in a narrow hallway of a large complex that was located at the southern edge of London. Ron found it odd that a wizard would choose to live in the muggle part of London. The door opened quickly and snapped when it reached the end of its chain. Ron saw an average built man with medium length hair, neatly parted down the middle. His dark green eyes crinkled at the edges in a smile, flashing crooked but white teeth. "Hey, Merry Christmas you two, come on in" Joe said amiably, closing the door and hastily opening it again. "Make yourselves at home while I go and find my shoes" he said as he turned to pad across hardwood floors into a bedroom that held an unkempt bed and a cluttered desk. Ron saw a sofa a few feet from the door and he made his way over to it and flopped down. Hermione wandered over to a large book case.

"Hey, Hermione, what is this thing" Ron asked softly, pointing at a large black box that was sitting on the floor.

"Television" she said absent mindedly.

Ron looked over to see what held Hermione's interest "what are you looking at" he asked over the back of the sofa. Hermione was moving her fingers delicately over the shelves of thin sleeves of thick paper.

"I see you've found my early collections" Joe said, sitting beside Ron on the sofa to put his shoes on.

"How much music do you have" Hermione asked in awe.

Joe frowned in thought "Not sure" he answered. "I've never really counted."

"Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Beatles, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, Queen, Pink Floyd" she started listing, going down the rows of shelves. "Otis Redding Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Louis Armstrong. The Loving Spoonful, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Doors, Jonny Cash, Elvis. Marvin Gaye, The Jackson Five- you have so many different genres it makes no sense.

"Yeah, I guess" Joe replied. He looked somewhat uncomfortable again.

"No, I am not making fun of you, I've just never heard of someone having an interest in Rock as well as Soul and R-n-B."

"Well I've never heard of a limey knowing about Soul" Joe said with a smile as he jerked the final knot in his shoe.

Hermione showed a most immature side of her by sticking out her tongue "We invented blue eyed soul"

"Alright children are we ready" Ron asked impatiently. Ron never did enjoy being late for any meal, let alone one as surely delicious as a Christmas dinner.

"Ok, how do we get there" Joe asked, looking around.

"Apperate, I'll take you" Ron said before grabbing him firmly by the forearm. Just like that, they disappeared with a crack. Hermione followed quickly behind.

_

* * *

"Hello again, dear. I'm glad you could come" Mrs. Weasley beamed. "Not until after, Ronald" Mrs. Weasley turned to bark at her son. She bustled over to the oven to remove a massive, golden turkey, whose fragrance filled the entire house to greet everyone's nostrils.

"Oh" Joe said suddenly. "I almost forgot" he produced his wand and conjured a medium sized covered bowl. "Green beans, my specialty" he claimed proudly, offering the bowl to a waiting Mrs. Weasley.

"Perfect" she smiled as she took the covering off. "Deary, what is this " she asked in a slightly shrill voice, picking up a thin strip of white something from the top of the beans.

"Oh, just the fat-back" Joe answered easily, waving his wand to make it vanish.

The meal was exquisite and the atmosphere affable; all of the Weasley children were there along with Andromeda and little Teddy. Upon seeing Harry, Teddy gurgled and squealed happily. He scrunched up his pudgy little face and his hair changed from baby-blonde and sparse to jet black and messy. Mrs. Weasley was never more than an arm's length from him the entire night, cooing and tickling him at every opportunity. Ron saw Harry and Ginny across the room sitting on the love seat. He saw Harry whisper something in her ear, she smiled and nodded to follow him outside through the back door. No one else seemed to notice their leave but Ron knew better. Although Harry had technically only told Ron's father and by extention his mother, everyone knew something of this caliber was comming.

_

* * *

Harry led Ginny outside towards the fence that surrounded the small vegetable garden and gnome village. There was a thin layer of snow on the ground and more was thickly falling around the two. "So, what's up, Harry" Ginny asked once she reached the fence and turned around to see a panic stricken Harry, gulping for air. She saw him drop rather unsteadily to one knee and reach into his deep pocket of his overcoat. Ginny grew concerned he was hurt and was about to rush over to see if he was alright.

Realizing her unease, Harry held up a hand to stop her and convey that she needed to stay upright. He took a deep breath and focused on her face, her angelic face that held her beautifully big brown eyes, framed by her fiery red hair. "Ginny, will you make me the happiest man alive… and be my wife" Harry whispered, pinching open the top of a small black satin box.

Ginny gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. Her view of Harry on the ground was beginning to blur, her knees started shaking and her world was spinning she could not breathe. "I-… I…"

Harry's heart quickened and his hands shook when he did not get an answer after a moment, "Well if you don't want to answer now… we can always wait… I didn-"

"Shut up" she gasped finally. "Of course I want to, Harry. I can't think of anything I would rather do, but we can't until after I am out of Hogwarts" she said with sadness tinged in her voice.

Harry jumped to his feet and scooped Ginny into his arms, holding her as tightly as he could, kissing her hard and as fast as he could. He could not get close enough to her, he could not get love her more than right now and he told her so. "I love you, Ginny" he whispered as he slid the ring on her left third finger.

"I love you too."

_

* * *

Ron shut the door quietly, smiling slightly to himself; he was genuinely happy for his sister and friend. "Hey, Ron. Thanks for the invitation, I should be getting back though" Joe said, clapping his comrade on the shoulder, trying to slide by him out the door that Ron was sure Harry and his sister were celebrating behind.

Ron quickly shut the opening door and steered his friend away from the doorway and away from the newly engaged pair outside. "Not that door, Joe" Ron said with his arm around the shorter man. "Listen, could I ask a favor from you" Ron asked once he had guided Joe away from his exit. "Hermione seemed really impressed with your collection of music, and I was wondering if I could borrow something."

Joe nodded and smiled and knowing smile, "Ah yes, looking for something to set a certain mood" he inquired. "Romance, celebratory… _romance_" he asked emphasizing the last word with a waggle of his eye brows and a chuckle.

Ron reached out and landed a blow on the back of his head with a smack, "The first one" he said without a smile. "I have a special night planned for Hermione and she seemed especially taken with some of your music, so I would like to borrow something."

"I know just the thing" Joe said with a wink "just let me know when you need it and I'll bring it over to your apartment first thing. Oh," he added in an afterthought "do you have power there?"

"No, is that a problem" he asked, shocked.

Joe rolled his eyes and shook his head, "no. But I'll be able to work something out."

"Great, thanks a lot Joe, I owe you one" Ron thanked him. "Oh, and mum's the word" he added with a finger over his lips and walked away to find Hermione.

_

* * *

Harry and Ginny came back inside softly, expecting a quiet house; they were not wrong in a sense as the house was very quiet, but everyone was gathered in the parlor and waiting. "Well..." Hermione demanded on the verge of hysterics.

Ginny hesitated for a moment "I said yes of course" she screamed, showing them all the thin silver band that met a brilliant diamond and flanked by an emerald and a ruby.

**Alright. What did you think? I wan't sure about this one because I don't like when Harry and Ginny or Ron and Hermione get married real young; after all, how often does an eighteen year old and a seventeen year old get married? Anyway, let me know what you thought and I'll fight with this writer's block some more and update as soon as I can. **


	19. A New Love Kindled

**Ok as for some disclaimers, this chapter has lyrics to songs that I did not write, nor did I buy the copyrights to. The first is _I Love You (For Sentimental Reasons) _written and (performed) by Deek Watson; William Best, and (Nat King Cole) second is _Too Marvelous for Words _written and performed by: Jonny Mercer; Richard Whiting, and (Frank Sinatra) respectively. The third is a portion of the sone _Let's Get it on_ written and performed by Ed Townsend; Marvin Gaye, and (Marvin Gaye) respectively. I hope I did cited this right and no one freaks out. Anyway, on with the fluff! (I would also recommend listening to these songs as they come up.)**

Chapter 19: A New Love Kindled

Hermione walked to the Ministry lifts to take her to the Atrium level. She managed to get out of her office on time today, on a Friday no less, and was excited to get to see Ron at his new flat. When Ron graduated Auror training camp, he opened a lease on a one bedroom one bath apartment that was tiny, yes, but had a breathtaking view of the Thames River. She had been there once, with Harry, to help Ron move in; but had not been back since. Ron has never invited Hermione over before, let alone to cook her a dinner; special or otherwise. She rushed to the apperation point, arms laden with books filled with parchment scraps and feet of notes. It was the first week of debate on the proposed Elven Welfare Act and Hermione was concerned with the initial reactions by the Wizengamot. The debate was drowned out by laughter to start, but once order had been reestablished there appeared to not be a single witch or wizard in favor of their legislation. Hermione needed to find something to change their old-fashioned minds, _or someone_, she thought as she crossed the threshold of her house. "It's me mum" she called into the still house. Her parents were probably outside; they spent much of their leisure time on the small porch that looked onto the small backyard since they got back from Australia. Hermione felt a little sorry for taking them away from their sunny and warm paradise, to cloudy and rainy Britain.

"I'll be outside dear" her mother yelled back. "Let me know when you leave" she added before the glass door slid closed.

Hermione placed her bundle of papers and quills on the dining room table she had consumed with her work and ran up the stairs to her room. She discarded her robes soiled by the day in the dirty clothes bin and made her way to her bathroom to shower quickly, or so she tried but her concentration kept being pushed aside by Ron. After her third attempt at washing her other shoulder, she gave it up as a futile effort and wrapped a towel under her arms. She almost reached for her hairdryer, a smile and swish of her wand later her hair was dry and perfectly placed in a delicate pile on her head. She hurried back to her room and flung open her closet doors, _Ugh. I have nothing to wear_ she complained to herself. She jerked and pulled hangers in and out of the way, pulling some out to view in the full length mirror and casting those on her bed. Her supply of clothes dwindling, she still found nothing worthy of an occasion. A black clothes bag caught her eye. It was the very last item on the row of hangers and Hermione had forgotten all about it. Her parents brought it back when they returned from a Dental and Gum Disease Seminar in New York. The teal dress was long, past her ankles and almost to her feet, and was covered in sequence. The bodice fit snugly against her skin until it hit her waist where it flowed and swirled to the lace fringe. The thin straps went up and over her shoulders and criss-crossed down her back ending just after the middle, giving her an almost backless feeling. The one time she wore it before, at an Uncle's wedding, she was more uncomfortable than she had ever been in her life; mostly from the stares she received. _Well, Ron is cooking; that is as much a cause for celebration as it is for alarm_ she thought wryly to herself and slipped into it. After a quick powder and smear of lipstick she summoned her shoes and carefully walked back downstairs.

_

* * *

Ron was still trying to broil the potatoes when the clock struck five times, any moment Hermione would be here. The roasted chicken he cooked without trouble, the lima beans he boiled easily, but he could not determine if these damn potatoes were cooked through. _Hell with it_ he thought angrily as he pulled the tray from the oven's rack. "_Crustulio_" he muttered, flicking his wand at the spuds. Ron plated the chicken and beans, and stabbed a potato to try it; they were not the worst he has eaten, but definitely not as good as his mum's. He pushed a few onto Hermione's plate and the rest next to his chicken. He carried the plates to his dining room table and cast a warming charm over them. Next, he checked that the champagne was still being chilled with his cooling spell and pushed his desk chair up to the table. Ron's new flat did not come with a furnished dining room, which accounted for the stool and desk chair instead of the traditional placements. He was reasonably sure he could transfigure something into a nice dining chair, but that experiment could wait. He heard a soft pop in the hallway, cueing him that Hermione was here. His heart started beating a little faster and his stomach turned a few flips. He directed his wand across the room and a shiny black disc appeared and started to turn and an arm lowered on top of it.

Ron went to answer the door. He opened it, about to usher in his date but he forgot how to speak. The setting sun blazed through the windows behind him as he opened the door, and before him stood a goddess, cloaked in a shimmering sea as the sequence reflected the light behind him. After a moment's worth of pops and clicks the music started:

_I love you for sentimental reasons  
I hope you do believe me  
I'll give you my heart  
_

"Hi" Ron breathed, finally able to find his words.

"Hi" Hermione answered, equally taken with the sight. Ron had changed out of his Auror's robes and into brown slacks with a red button up shirt that clashed horribly with his hair.

Remembering why this vision was here to see him, he moved out of her way and allowed her entry. "Hi" he said again and kissed her on the lips.

"Hi" she said once more while chuckling throatily and leaning into his kiss. _  
_

_I love you and you alone were meant for me  
Please give your loving heart to me  
And say we'll never part_

_  
_Ron seated Hermione in the chair, pushing it in after her and sat himself across from her on the stool. After taking the good natured ribbing for not having proper furniture, the conversation settled into a subdued, natural tone that ranged from the job that Kingsley is doing at the Ministry to what they wanted for their birthdays. _  
_

_I think of you every morning  
Dream of you every night  
Darling, I'm never lonely  
Whenever you are in sight_

I love you for sentimental reasons  
I hope you do believe me  
I've given you my heart

I love you for sentimental reasons  
I hope you do believe me  
I've given you my heart

The record ended as Hermione pushed her last spoonful of beans into her mouth. Ron jerked his wand toward the floating disc and it disappeared before another, smaller one, appeared. The clicks and pops lasted only a second to be followed by a silky smooth voice came from the air around the disc.

_You're just too marvelous, too marvelous for words  
Like "glorious", "glamorous" and that old standby "amorous".  
It's all too wonderful, I'll never find the words  
That say enough, tell enough, I mean they just aren't swell enough.  
_

"Oh, I love this song" Hermione gushed, moving slightly back and forth to the rhythm.

Ron stood from his stool and walked around his table to Hermione's side, "would you care to dance" he asked in his most seductive tone. Hermione could not believe it at first, as there was no one here for him to keep her away from, and Ron had never been the best dancer, but she readily agreed. She grasped his offered hand and allowed herself to be towed to the middle of the living room floor. And they danced:

_  
You're much too much, and just too "very, very"  
To ever be in Webster's Dictionary.  
And so I'm borrowing a love song from the birds  
To tell you that you're marvelous - too marvelous for words._

You're much - you're too much - and just too "very, very"  
To ever be, to ever be in Webster's Dictionary.  
And so I'm borrowing a love song from the birds  
To tell you that you're marvelous;  
Tell you that you're marvelous;  
Tell you that you're marvelous - too marvelous for words

Ron held Hermione close to his chest. He could feel the heat radiate from her body as her heart thumped against him while they turned on the floor, slowly now that the song had ended; moving to their own feeling. Her hair smelled of tangerines, and her skin emanated a fruity fragrance that he did not know, but loved. "What is that perfume you're wearing" he asked softly in her ear.

Hermione closed her eyes at the feeling of his breath on her ear and neck, "oh, it's not. It's a lotion, black raspberry vanilla."

"It's lovely" he whispered against her cheek.

The track ended, though neither made a move to change it. The white noise continued for a few moments, repeating every second until distorted guitar strums could be heard followed by the drum and hi-hat beat.

_I've been really tryin', baby  
Tryin' to hold back this feeling for so long  
And if you feel like I feel, baby  
Then, c'mon, oh, c'mon  
Let's get it on  
Ah, baby, let's get it on  
Let's love-_

The song was ended with a screech as the needle scratched over the quickly displaced record, "damn it Joe," Ron swore quietly. "Sorry" he said, turning back to Hermione. "Stupid prank by Joe" he apologized. "I saw that you liked some of his re-cords and had him..." his voice trailed off when Hermione glided softly over to him.

"I liked it" Hermione answered sensuously as she walked up to him, placing her hands on his chest and lifting her face to his and brushing her lips against his.

_

* * *

Hermione woke with a start, under an unfamiliar ceiling, with a weight pressing on her chest. The previous evening filled her mind to account for the presence of strange ceiling and a heavy arm across her person. She looked at the arm, long and lean, covered with thin, light, red hairs her stomach filled with that fluttering feeling she loved. She followed the arm up to his shoulder, rounded and freckled. Hermione twisted slightly so she could gaze into the face of the man beside her; it was slightly comical but more sweet than anything. He was breathing heavily out of his mouth, drooling more than slightly, and his closely cropped hair was sticking up at an unkempt angle. She smiled and traced a finger around the side of his face as she wiggled closer to him to breathe in his manly scent. She crept closer to her bed mate's side and whispered in his ear, "good morning love" and her heart fluttered more to see him stirr.

"Mm" he groaned, "I could get use to waking up to that" he said groggily, turning to meet the voice that rounded him from his slumber. He drew her in and crushed her against his chest to cover her lips with kisses. He leaned back and let Hermione position herself on his chest. "Good thing we're both off work this morning" he said lazily, his eyelids drooping luxuriously.

"Mm" she agreed. "I think I could stay like this forever" she sighed contentedly. She snuggled closer into his chest and closed her eyes. They could have stayed that way for hours, or days, as time seemed to no longer have any bearing in their lives.

During this time Ron thought incessantly. He thought about him and Hermione, what just happened and what that meant for their relationship. He did not regret anything that happened in the last few months that their relationship had become official, not even last night, especially not last night; hopefully she felt the same way. "I love you" he said, pulling her up to face him.

"I know" she said before she pecked him on the lips.

"I mean I loved you before last night, but I love you more now" he said eyeing her steadily.

"Is that a fact" she asked, cocking her eyebrow.

Realizing his faux-pa Ron quickly amended his statement, "No, no I don't mean because you put out." Her expression grew even more surprised, "No, I mean-"

She silenced him with a raise of her hand, "Funnily enough I know what you mean, just stop while you are behind. And I love you too, despite your idiocy" she said curtly. Hermione tried to roll out of the bed and stalk away, but Ron had her by the arm and pulled her back to the mattress. He looked down at her messy hair that flowed from behind her beautiful face, "I'm sorry" he whispered and kissed her again.

"I know, but I need a shower" she replied, pushing him off and walked towards the bathroom.

_

* * *

Hermione finished her shower and after she dried off she pulled Ron's button up shirt over her head. She made her way into the kitchen and saw Ron on his knee facing away from the doorway. "What are you doing" she asked, brushing a wet curl out of her eye.

Ron spun around and ran on his knees to Hermione. He stopped short and jerked her hand out and looked up into her eyes, "will you marry me" he croaked.

_

* * *

**Alrighty, what'd you think? I'm glad I got back to Ron-Hermione because I like them more, but did you like it? I got this out pretty quick because it didn't take a lot of planning of the plot and what not, but the next chapter will have to deal something with the story as a whole so it might take a while. Let me know how you feel and I'll update as soon as I can. **


	20. A Chance Meeting

**Hey guys, sorry it took so long to update but school is getting crazy again. I've got this stupid class that I'm sure y'all don't care at all about so I'll try to step up the fun writing for my faithful few. Anyway, on with the show!**

Chapter 20: A Chance Meeting

Hermione stared at her hand; her left hand, to be specific, and she would move her finger under the small stone that would catch the light and throw white sparks across her desk. Her work was not technically done, but she was letting her companions take some of the research off her desk, so she sat and thought and looked at her new ring. She still could not believe he proposed, and she accepted. Not to say that she was regretful, contrarily she was exhilarated to be affianced, but she was surprised nonetheless. Hermione asked Ron why he did but he simply said he thought it was the right time. She quickly picked up a book lying on his desk to appear busy. British Influence on 19th Century Seas_, _by Wilbur Gordon. The first paragraph caught her eye:

_The British Parliament in 1807 passed what was known as 'The Slave Trade Act,' which did not make slavery illegal, but made the importing of African slaves a fineable and eventually capitol offense. It was the first of such documents to be enacted in the world. While the practice of shipping slaves from Africa was still common in French colonies, as well as southern American states, Her Majesty's Navy's __**West Africa Squadron **__freed 150,000 Africans from 1,600 ships destined for the Americas and Carribean. In such raids…_

Human slavery. The thought had never crossed her mind. The dark stain of human history was ever present in muggle Britain, everyone knew that, however very few made the connection to the magical world. She just needed to show the relationship they shared to the Wizengamot, they could not deny her case when humans are compared. How could she do it though? _Joe_, she thought to herself, slamming the book closed and grabbed her coat to rush out the door.

Joe was hunched in front of the coffee table, staring intently at the television fifteen feet in front of him. His move to London was enjoyable, for the most part, only the weather and the terrible sports on this island kept him from completely loving this place. He did not mind the rain as much as the almost constant cloudiness. Back home he took a few flying lessons and found he was quite good at it, mostly because the cloudless summer days in the foothills of rural North Carolina offered few chances for the weather to ground him. Here, visual flight rules could not apply, save for a little more than one hundred days out of the year. As for the sports, everyone was obsessed with soccer; and they were insane about it. He went to one match, which might be the last of his life; he had never been more scared. Joe threw a pillow across the room when he saw Brad Johnson throw an interception that lost the game. He got up to refill his glass, muttering about the draft prospects of his Redskins. He reached the kitchen and heard a hard rapid succession of knocks on the door. He quickly turned off the television with his wand and carefully made his way to the door to peek through the peephole. His television connection was not technically legal. Hermione's anxious brown eye danced back at him.

"Hurry up, I need to talk to you" he heard through the door.

Joe opened the door hurriedly to greet her but she already strode purposefully through the door, "what's the matter" he asked, concerned.

"Oh, nothing" she recounted slightly, "I just need you to come back to the ministry with me, to help me with my legislation."

There was a moment's silence that passed between the two of them, "Yeah, that really could have waited until I got some pants on" Joe said slowly, looking down at his billiards styled boxers.

The blush that exploded on Hermione's cheeks could have put any of the Weasley's hair to a dimming shame. "Er-yeah… sorry" she mumbled, turning around, "I'll, er, just wait outside for you" hurrying out of the door. Joe chuckled and pushed his legs into his jeans and followed Hermione outside.

_

* * *

Joe's apartment was only two blocks from the entrance to the Ministry of Magic, so Hermione decided to walk and explain to Joe what she wanted from him. She told him of her predicament and detailed how he should give his testimony. The next round of hearings was coming up in half an hour, so he had precious few minutes to collect his thoughts and convey a sensible argument for Hermione. This was the reason he missed the small girl crying in the alley, and Hermione stopping to comfort her. Joe walked forward a couple steps and realized he was no longer walking with anyone and turned around to see Hermione gently patting a girl who was hiding her face in a corner a few feet into the alley. He began making his way back to her, to help maybe, or more likely to just watch, but he saw shadow gliding towards the unaware pair. Perhaps it was his Auror training, or perhaps it was a primeval feeling that man has lived with since the dawn of time, telling him when danger was close that told him to defend himself from this shadow figure. Darkness closed in around the narrow corridor as Joe made his way back to the small child and Hermione.

Hermione reached her hand out to the small girl and gently stroked her back, and started trying to soothe her, asking her what was the matter. The child did not seem to register that Hermione was even there and she just kept hiding her face and crying. Hermione now noticed the gloom creeping in around them and looked up at the unnatural cloud that settled over them. She looked up at the sky first, but a cold breeze drew her attention downward to the approaching one. "Can I help you" she called, sounding surer than she felt.

"Could you come with me please" wheezed the shadow.

"I don't think so" she answered while she faced him fully, drawing her wand and shielding the little girl behind her. Her heart pounded uncomfortably in her chest as she stared down the hall at the just becoming visible figure.

"Well then" the hunched man whispered, "it seems I will have to _take _you with me." He drew his own wand and began to raise it ominously.

"_Expelliarmus_" roared Joe, as he charged back down the corridor. "Auror Department. You are under arrest" he said, belatedly. It was a good thing Robards was not here to see him apprehend a suspect incorrectly. The unknown attacker easily parried the thrust and returned one of his own silently.

_

* * *

The battle was raging, what a sight to any muggle that might happen past. Fantastic flashes of lights and objects filled the small enclosure as the two sides engaged and retreated. The man conjured a fine, black mist that spread towards the pair. Joe condensed the mist, where it fell harmlessly as rain between them. The water droplets turned red and orange as they changed to fire, consuming the water and spreading around the embattled Joe and Hermione. Hermione spun around, her cloak billowing in her wake, transforming the six foot flames into black shapes that quickly materialized into swordsmen that now advanced on their attacker. He fired a couple shots at two of the black knights, disintegrating them into a puff of smoke, but their numbers overwhelmed him. Hermione watched in cold discomfort as her sword wielders began using their blades to chop and hack at the center of the circle.

The wind gusted and swirled around them. It picked up the clanking armored knights and tossed them around, encircling Hermione and Joe with flying steel and parts of armor and broken swords. At the center of the whirlwind stood the hunched man, before the small tornado that consumed him and he disappeared, leaving the parts of the enchanted armor strewn across the ally. "What was that" gasped Hermione, trying to regain a normal breathing rate.

"Not good" Joe responded, sending his patronus; some kind of bird. He knelt down and conjured a small plastic bag to place a shard of wood and scrap of cloth in it.

A sharp cry of pain reverberated off the blackened brick walls. Joe twisted to meet the noise and saw the little girl with a small dagger, smeared with no small amount of blood on the edge. She grinned menacingly through her fallen hair at Joe. A feral snarl ripped through the air as she charged the crouched wizard. Ropes sprung from the end of his wand, wrapping her and pinning her arms to her sides. The knife clattered to the cobbled floor and she fell hard on her back, still grinning at the sky before she melted into the ground. Pops surrounded them as Aurors made their appearances. "Robards" Joe called from the side of Hermione, turning her over gently revealing a gasping woman with a slightly oozing puncture two inches below her right collarbone. "Get this to my desk" he said as he pushed the small bag into the man's chest and pressed a hand to Hermione's increasingly blood stained shirt. He picked her up gingerly and turned on the spot, leaving Robards to look on, confusedly.

Joe appeared behind the emergency room entrance of St. James Teaching Hospital on the North-Western outskirts of London in Hemel Hemstead. He carried Hermione through the automatic doors and shouted to the population inside, "Stab-wound victim" he cried. "I need a gurney." A green smock clad man rushed over, pushing the wheeled table over. "I think she's got a punctured lung" Joe said, keeping pressure over her wound.

The nurse knocked his hand away and applied a tourniquet to her chest and began rolling her towards the double doors on the other end of the ward, shouting instructions as he went. "I need Doctor Miles in Op room four" he shouted, taking his stethoscope from around his neck and moved it to Hermione's chest. Joe backed away from the double doors. He could see the nurses and doctors rip open Hermione's blouse to staunch the bleeding. She turned her head slowly towards him and pointed determinedly at Joe, mouthing _Ron_ as she was being worked on. Joe rushed back through the automatic doors to disapperate once he was out of sight.

_

* * *

_Well where did she go, _Ron thought as he made his way back to his desk. He was on duty and he only came by to take Hermione out for lunch, but until Hermione returned from wherever she went off to Ron decided to do something constructive. He opened the bottom drawer to prop up his feet and begin reading a report he wanted to postpone until after lunch. After mere moments of fruitless reading, he threw the folder down as a bad job and pick up instead his picture of him and Hermione. It was taken by the Justice of the Peace after he married them. Ron smiled at the memory, he asked her and she had almost literally dressed him before taking him to a small _courthouse_, she called it. They were married within the hour. If it was good enough for Hermione it was good enough for Ron although they knew it would have to be supplemented with the traditional magical union. Bonded by more than just a contract of paper, but also by magic. A crash sounded outside and Joe came stumbling in, trailing cords from somewhere.

"Ron" he gasped, lunging forward and grabbing his arm to propel him to the door.

"What" Ron asked, irritated at the way he was being handled.

"You need to come with me" Joe gasped, trying to catch his breath as he ran; virtually carrying Ron.

They reached the entrance of the hospital and Ron began to grow anxious. "What are we doing here?"

Joe stopped and faced his friend, "Hermione got hurt" Joe said quietly.

Ron's face paled and his eyes narrowed, looking down at his coworker, "what happened" he asked. He started to push past Joe, trying to get into the building.

"Wait, wait!" Joe grabbed Ron by the front of his robes, and slammed his against the side of the building, perhaps a little harder to than intended. "First, if you just barge in there to where she's restin' you're gonna to upset her, and not help anything. Second, this is a muggle hospital. Try not to act out of place" he added sternly, releasing him and straightening his front.

"lead me to her" Ron said softly, angry tears filling his eyes.

_

* * *

**What did you think? I kind of liked the action sequence, personally. First, Hermione's the book and author are made up but the excerpt is paraphrased from a wikipedia page, so it is as real as you want it to be I guess. I'm not going to spend a lot of time vetting anything I find on the internet. Second, I'm not sure if Jusitices of the Peace(s) marry people in England but they do for this story. I hope I get to update again really soon, but until I do give me some feedback.**


	21. A Tentative Alliance

**Hey guys, I was a little disapointed with the volume of views I got last time. I hope I'm not starting to bore you. Anyway, on with the show!**

Chapter 21: A Tentative Alliance

Harry shuffled down the hallway, hands shoved down into his pockets, looking into rooms and closets. "And it has two bedrooms and two full baths upstairs" he heard the realtor call from the kitchen.

Harry nodded slightly to himself, "I'll take it" he yelled back as he made his way back to the circular kitchen where the realtor stood with the paperwork.

"Brilliant" she smiled brightly. "If you will just sign here and here" she said pointing to the bottom of one page and then another, "initial here and… you can cut a check to Gringotts by the end of the week" she looked up, smiling sweetly. She was pretty woman, trying to appear younger than she was by the way her makeup was caked around her eyes, but pretty nonetheless with her perfectly placed hair and blindingly white and straight teeth.

"Here you are," Harry said after he crossed the last 't'. She waved her wand over the papers which rolled up and jumped into her bag.

"Very good, Mr. Potter. Here is the key" she said, rummaging in her purse before withdrawing an old fashioned skeleton key. She tapped her wand to the key and it morphed into a modern and unique key to the house. "You are all set, and call me" she smiled again "if you have any problems" she winked.

"Right" Harry said, taking the key and put it in his pocket. As he walked her to the door he toyed with the small brass piece of metal in his right hip pocket. He ran his finger over the ridges of the key and saw every future moment rise and fall in his mind's eye with every bump he felt on his thumb.

_

* * *

Ron slumped into his chair and rubbed his eyes wearily. It had been four hours since he arrived and was told she was in surgery. Barring any unforeseen misfortunes, Hermione would be fine; the doctors were cautiously optimistic, but Ron was just waiting until he could see her. "Do you have a girlfriend" Ron asked, not meeting Joe's eyes. "Back in America, I mean" he clarified, still staring straight ahead.

"I did" Joe answered with a small smile that turned to a grim frown. "'Til I got too stupid to hold on to her" he said, smacking his thighs and standing up. "C'mon" he said, heaving Ron to his feet. "Let's take a walk."

Just then, through a door in the hallway the silver haired doctor walked out and towards the pair. "Mr. Weasley" he asked Ron.

"Yes, how is she" he asked with no small amount of anxiousness in her voice.

"She'll be fine" he said with a smile. "She just needs to rest while the rest of the transfusion finishes, but you can go in and see her if you'd like" he added with an affectionate grasp of his elbow.

Ron wrapped up the slighter man up in a classic Weasley-ish hug. He dropped him at once to run past and skid into the room the doctor just left. "I'll see you at the office" Joe called after him. He smiled a goodbye to the doctor and turned to make his way back to the Ministry. He had an appointment to keep.

_

* * *

Ron slid into the room and saw her propped up on pillows and reading a book he did not recognize. Big surprise there. "Hey" he breathed

"Hey" she replied a little hoarsely.

He pulled a chair over to the side of her bed and sat down, sliding his hand under hers and holding it gently. "How are you feeling" he asked softly.

"None of that" she said sternly. "You will not treat me like I am about to break all the time."

"Well" Ron said slyly, moving closer to her, placing his face inches from hers.

"Oh, be gentle. I'm delicate" she sighed before they both burst into raucous laughter that filled the small room and carried into the hall.

"Your parents will be here in… half an hour" he said after consulting his wrist watch. "Don't worry I didn't give them any specifics" he added reassuringly to the quickly fretting Hermione.

"What are we going to do about this" she asked solemnly.

"It turns out that one of you got a pieceof his wand" Ron whispered, pushing a lock of curl from her face. "And I am going to see Ollivander about it, to see if he can identify who it belongs to. But" he added with as sincere a smile as he could draw, "you don't have to worry anything about that." Before she could rebut, he kissed her on the lips.

"Hello" piped a small voice from the door. "Are you alright, love" asked a middle-aged woman from the frame.

"I'm fine, come in" Hermione answered, trying to sit a little straighter in her bed and wincing at the effort. Mrs. Granger hurried over and started being motherly, effectively, yet subtly knocking Ron out of the way. Ron understood the message and went to stand by Hermione's father.

"Mr. Granger" he greeted, offering his hand to the older man.

Mr. Granger took it with a quizzical expression on his face. "Listen, you're my son-in-law now. You can call me Brian" Mr. Granger said with a reassuring smile. He continued in a softer tone so they would not be overheard by the girls at the bed, "we would have liked to be at the wedding" he said with a hint of sadness. "But I know how my daughter can be" he smiled again to alleviate any guilt. "Just promise we can come to the magic one."

"I promise, Brian"

_

* * *

Joe entered the large white building and strode purposefully through the metal detector and waiting security guard. Of course it beeped and identified him as a possible threat. The obese guard in a disgustingly tight uniform shirt waddled over with a wand of his own "please remove all pieces of metal you may have on you sir" he said with a slight lisp and gasps of breath. Joe threw his keys and pocket knife into the white container and walked through the detector again; unnoticed this time.

Having only made it a couple of steps, the beyond portly security guard was able to plop back into his chair once it was established that Joe was no threat. "Great. Thanks" Joe muttered and continued to the elevator. The doors opened and Joe allowed the single occupant to exit, a stern-faced yet tremendously beautiful woman with her raven black hair in a tight bun perched on her head. "Oh, excuse me ma'am" he drawled in his most genteel, southern accent, and giving her complete passage through the doors.

She scoffed and hastily marched through the doors, her heels clicking on the tiled floor and echoing off the high chambered ceiling. _Mm. I hate to see you leave, but I love to see you walk away _Joe thought with a sly smile, and immediately regretted it. _I've been in Europe too long_ he thought as the doors to the elevator slid closed.

_

* * *

"Bye, we will be back tomorrow" said Mrs. Granger as she and her husband backed out of the door. With a final 'goodbye,' wave and smile they were gone, leaving Ron, Hermione, and Harry alone.

"I need to get some rest" Hermione whispered as she lovingly pushed Ron's hair over his head. She only could because he was asleep, but she liked it nonetheless. "Could you get him home" she asked Harry.

"Sure" Harry said, rising from the extraordinarily uncomfortable desk chair. "C'mon Ron" he said, nudging the sleeping giant with his foot. When Ron's eyes blinked open he looked at Harry first, then quickly averted his attention to Hermione.

"Go home" she said firmly, patting him on the hand. "Go get some real sleep and see me tomorrow. Surely I'll be leaving by then."

"Ok" he said sleepily, wiping his chin. He stood up and stretched his long arms towards the ceiling, drumming his knuckles on the whitewashed roof. Ron bent over the railing of her bed and kissed her once softly on the lips and again on her forehead. "I will see you tomorrow" he said as he picked up his jacket and followed Harry out the door.

_

* * *

"What does that mean" Joe droned, his head lolling back and his palms pressed hard into his eyes. "My chemistry career ended a long time ago."

"It means" the man huffed, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "that whoever was wearing this washed it with detergent. I know you know what Dodecylbenzene sodium sulfonate is."

Joe groaned and hunched over, sliding off his chair. "I'm going to tell you this again, Frank; lots of people wash their clothes. I know you just like to rinse them but-"

"Not wizards" he interrupted.

"Shhh" Joe hissed, moving closer, pushing him into a corner and looking around frantically. "What's the matter with you? You're not even suppose to know about that."

Frank simply smirked, "Oh, relax. And how can I not, I found out why people like you exist."

A chill crept down Joe's spine when the scientist's words reached his ears. Joe never had an affinity for his father's colleagues, his father did not care much for them either, but Dr. Schultz was a world renowned bio-chemist and his to not make his knowledge a resource would not behoove a good detective. "What do you mean wizards don't use detergent" Joe asked.

"Well, if they don't use a freshening charm they conjure a bucket and fill it with suds, right" he paused to check Joe was still following. "That substance is a purer form of Dodecylbenzene sodium sulfonate called… right Dodecylbenzene, or Laurylbenzene. This guy" Frank continued, pointing at the computer screen, "uses Tide."

"Ok, that's interesting; but not really helpful. I'm sure many people use Tide" Joe sighed, picking up his coat.

Frank sighed too, "Look, kid; I don't know what to tell you. I'll look at the mass-spec some more and give you a call if anything else pops up."

"Alright, Frank. Thanks again" Joe said, shaking the older man's hand and turning to exit the lab. Joe turned around and walked right into another white coat that was holding a large beaker with an opaque solution.

"Sod it all" the raven-haired beauty shouted. "These stains won't come out" she cried, turning on Joe. "Why don't you watch where you're going" she huffed.

"Actually, I've got an old family recipe to get out silver nitrate stains. How about I take you out to dinner to make up for spoilin' such a pretty face with a frown."

"Why don't you just go to hell" she sneered.

Joe smiled at the aggression. "Seriously" he said, digging into his pocket. "Give me a call if you'd like me to fix your blouse" he said as he handed her a card. He turned and walked out of the large room without a backwards glance.

_

* * *

_The next morning_

"Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter to what do I owe this honor. Are your wands still satisfactory" asked the dreamy-voiced Ollivander.

"Quite, Mr. Ollivander" Harry replied, shaking the man's hand with genuine affection. "How is the wand business" Harry asked pleasantly.

"Well, very well" he said in his subtle tone and making his way around the various stacks of boxes that reached to the ceiling.

"We need you to identify a piece of a wand that we broke off of a suspect" Ron said, producing the small bag containing a reddish brown shard of wood. Ollivander snatched the small bad from the hand of Ron and hurried to the back of his shop; dumping the shard into his hand on the way. He picked up a strange pair of wire rimmed bifocals that held multiple lenses and wrapped the ends around his ears and adjusted the lenses until he found the appropriate magnification.

"Oh, oh my…" he gasped, clutching his chest and stumbling back into his stacks of boxes. "F-Freach."

**Ok, how was that? Please let me know what you think of this chapter, how you think the story is evolving (or intelligently designed to be politically correct), what you think of the characters, all that. You guys, my readers are what makes this story. Happy Valentine's Day, by the way. Make that special someone of yours feel special. **


	22. A New Break

**I can't apologize enough for the delay. I am getting busier and, honestly, am losing inspiration to write. I'll finish this story, and hopefully continue with my plan to have a series, but it might not happen. Anyway, I have looked over that last post and saw some places that might be confusing so let me know if you had a problem with something and I'll explain it. And now, on with the show!**

Chapter 22: A New Break

"Edmund F-Freach" Ollivander whispered, his already pale face growing ghostlier and his already thin lips were drawn tight over his mouth. His eyes darted around the room before settling on Harry's face and whispered again, "It was he that attacked your family, Ron."

Ron's face paled with Ollivander's and a fire lit behind his eyes that burned with an unquenchable anger. "Alright, who is this Freach" Ron asked in a forced cadence.

"He was my student" Ollivander explained miserably. When it looked like Harry and Ron were going to interrupt he waved them down and took a long rattling breath to continue. "About twenty years ago I took on a student to help me with wand making. My wife was ill and I was growing increasingly distracted by her suffering, my work was lacking. I found Edmund through a family friend and he agreed to be my apprentice. He worked the most beautiful wand lore I had ever seen" Ollivander carried on, swept up in his memory. "My wife died, and I couldn't continue my work so I turned my business over to Edmund and mourned my loss."

Ollivander paused and gulped another breathful of air, "He perverted wand making. He was the most gifted wand maker I ever saw but he could not appreciate the delicate side of magic. He needed control, he craved it. It consumed him. I returned to find him absorbed in his work, but abnormally so. He refused to believe that magic was not meant to be used to control others, at least half of him did. He offered his services to a certain dark wizard both of you are familiar with" he said nodding especially at Harry.

"But he was refused" Ron asked with confusion evident in his voice.

"Yes" Ollivander confirmed.

"Why?"

"He was afraid of Edmund." Ollivander paused for the effect. "Edmund never forgot the grand plan of Voldemort and now I assume he is attempting to finish the idea." Ollivander finished and collapsed into a chair and folded his head into his hand.

"Oh, good. I thought this was going to be a challenge" Ron sighed.

_

* * *

Ginny threw her dirty towel in the hamper and feathered her fingers through her damp hair. It was a tough game and she did not play her best. Gryffindor got the win, and the cup, but Ginny was sorely disappointed. At least she would get to see Harry soon. It had been weeks since she had seen him last. Her N.E. were all that stood in her way, and they were a formidable obstacle. She made her way back to her bed and flopped onto her comforter where she heard a crinkle that is not corresponding to the quilted fabric. She reached behind to the small of her back and pulled a rumpled strip of parchment. _Ginny_, it read in penmanship that she recognized intimately.

_My Darling Ginny,_

_ I cannot express my longing to see you. I am waiting on bated breath to hold you in my arms once more. Unfortunately that is the extent of my thoughtful prose. I really can't wait to see you though, and wait anxiously for you to finish your studies. Come home and we'll be able to see each other again before you leave for your training. I'll be waiting for you. _

_Love,_

_Harry_

Ginny felt her eyes burn and itch as she read the letter. She blinked the coming tears away and tucked the letter into one of her books, smiling at the transformation that occurred. The brown parchment rolled itself into a green stem that budded a red blossom. She closed the book around the rose and slid it back onto her shelf.

_

* * *

He sucked in air through his teeth and he dabbed the essence of dittany on his cuts. None were deep, but there were a fair few to be sure. _The mudblood has talent. And the yank is not completely incompetent,_ the man muttered to himself. _You have to find some way to draw him to you. But, how, _he asked. _What does he love,_ came the Socratic answer with an evil smile.

_

* * *

"This is our man" Robards said, holding a full length poster of a middle-aged wizard that sneered at the gathering in the room. "We have to get this creep before he causes anymore damage. He has no known address, and is only known as Edmund Freach. Let's get to it" Robards commanded. Shuffling papers and chairs scratching at the floor was the response he received. "Weasley" Robards barked at the backs of the wizards moving from the room. "A moment of your time" he continued in a softer tone.

Ron moved the folder that held his noted from the morning's meeting into his other hand and walked up to the front of the room. "Yes, sir" he addressed the older man.

"How is Hermione" Robards asked with a look of genuine concern.

"Fine, sir" Ron responded a little stiffly.

"Good, good" Robards breathed in relief. "Well, I want you to take the yank back there and sniff around. This Freach must have known where Joe was living and staked out his house. See if you can't track this rat to his hole."

"Yes sir."

_

* * *

_

"Here" Joe pointed slowly. It was not difficult to see that he was feeling guilty about what happened to Hermione, and I did not help that Ron was holding him partly responsible. To be sure, Ron also believed that Joe saved her life, but he could not shake that last feeling of resentment toward the other man.

Ron squatted next to a charred bit of cobbled street and looked up the alleyway. "Which way did he come from" he asked.

"That way" Joe answered, pointing the direction that Ron was staring. "And he left that way too" Joe added.

"Shall we" Ron asked and he strode north along the wall of the ally. Joe turned and with a final backwards glance to check if they were followed, went after Ron.

_

* * *

_

Hermione sat at her desk and watched her coworkers work. She was released from the hospital on the same day that Joe gave his testimony to the council, so she got to see the fruits of her and her team's labors. There was very little standing in the way of elven reform and that made Hermione nervous. It was the quiet before the storm that was more fearful than the storm itself. "You look like you need a break" said a voice behind her. She turned to look and a lanky youth with messy black hair and a lopsided grin held her coat out to her. "Care for a lunch?"

"Sure" she answered quietly. She made to slide the sling from her arm to be able to wear the coat properly, but Harry prevented her and just draped it over her shoulders.

"It's warmed up quite nicely" he started, "you might not need it."

Hermione shook her head, "ever since my transfusion I stay cold. Where to" she asked a little more brightly. The prospect of leaving her office was already elevating her mood.

"How about that shop at the corner" Harry offered.

"Sure" Hermione agreed.

_

* * *

The shack that came into view was dilapidated with roof sagging in, the door hanging on one hinge and the windows were covered in grim. Ron advanced, wand drawn and heart pounding furiously. Joe brought up the rear, covering the back of the pair. The door opened easily enough and both men entered the house and much to their surprise found the inside entirely hospitable and even homey. What must have been the sitting room lacked sitable furniture, but made up for it in newspaper clippings. An entire wall made up of clippings from The Daily Prophet and even some from a tabloid magazine. What scared the pair more than the unexpected interior or the prospect of meeting their wizard, but a page of a gossip magazine: _The Boy Who Scored?_ In the article there was a picture of a pretty girl with flaming red hair, smiling sweetly at the camera. In dark marks her face was circled.

"Don't touch anything, and let's get back to the office" Ron commanded, authoritatively.

**That's that for now. Let me know what you think of it. I'll get started on the next chapter and post it as soon as possible. There should be only a couple more chapters in this story so stay tuned. **


	23. A Grand Finale

**Ok, gang. Here is the final edition of this story, sorry about the delay. On with the show!**

Chapter 23: A Grand Finale

Harry swept a stray lock from Ginny's face and was rewarded with a sleepy smile and a moan. She stretched her lithe frame stretched under the covers. "Hi" Ginny whispered bringing her sleep warmed body closer to Harry, resting her chin on his chest.

"Good morning" Harry whispered back, kissing Ginny on her forehead and cupping her cheek. "How did I get so lucky," Harry asked as he looked into Ginny's eyes.

"Because you have a rocking body" she answered and laughed that tinkling laugh.

Harry cocked an eyebrow, "really?" A sudden shift rolled Ginny under him where she was pinned under a grinning Harry.

"Indeed, sir" she answered between kisses. Harry moved his hand up her bare leg and over her hip and across her flank. Ginny drug her fingernails down his back and settled on his rump with a small squeeze. A rumbling chuckle from elicited from Harry's chest. At the height of their throes a small silvery dog burst through the wall and Ron's voice filled the room.

"Harry, we found Freach. Follow my Patronus here. I've already alerted the rest of the department." The terrier dissolved into a cloud of sliver mist. "That's a mood-breaker," Ginny panted.

"Yeah" Harry panted too. He kissed her on the lips once more and rolled out of the bed and set about the room retrieving his clothes.

"Be careful today" she said as she sat up, pulling the sheets under her arms.

Harry finished pulling up his jeans and slid into his robes before making his way into the edge of the bed. "Always, love" he assured. Harry kissed Ginny goodbye and stepped into the mist, apperating away.

Ron stood with Joe, arms crossed and face braced at the scene before him. There were nine other Aurors huddled around a table with a floor plan of the house set a hundred yards behind them. "He has to know we are here" Robards murmured to the gathering. Half an hour after Ron and Joe made the discovery the entire Auror force was called in and were stationed around the house. Anti-apparation charms were put up and everyone was nervously awaiting their next orders.

"How do we get him to come out" asked a young Auror, one from Ron and Harry's class.

"An ultimatum" Robards answered. "If he doesn't want to come out, we will bring him out. We breach here" Robards pointed at a wall on the paper "and here" he pointed at the opposing wall. "Standard tactics except the second half teams are contain on this" Robards finished, looking around the huddle. "Questions?"

"Who makes the arrest" asked Harry from the back of the huddle.

"Whoever can get to him first" answered Robards with a grimace.

"Nice of you to show up" Ron said matter-of-factly as the two stationed themselves with three others against the far outside wall of the broken-down house.

"Your sister held me up" Harry replied, equally smart.

Ron's face and ears reddened and he opened and closed his mouth twice before he spoke, "not cool" he said harshly.

"Edmund Freach" called Robards' magically magnified voice, "You are wanted in the conspiracy and attempted murder of multiple Ministry of Magic officials. Come out, lay down your wand and give yourself up." No answer came from the house. Several seconds went by without an answer. "If you do not comply, you will be forcibly removed" Robards continued through the silence.

A crash sounded across the wooded yard. The upstairs window shattered and was carried through the air by a white cubical object. The white box smashed into the grass with a terrible metallic tear. A whistling scream pierced the sky, the white box, now recognized as a washing machine, began to glow; red first then lighter, until white and then past white. The shrieking climbed to a terrific roar and stopped.

Harry peered around the corner of the house to see the commotion. The subsequent explosion lifted him off his feet and carried him twenty feet away, depositing him in a pile of glass and splinters. The washing machine had been charmed to detonate. Detonate it did, with the force of a high explosive bomb, seriously maiming Robards and two other Aurors. Their wails of pain reverberated around the yard.

"Do it" screamed Robards' deputy, Fellows, "make the insertion." Fellows' arm was pierced at the elbow with a shard of steel from the appliance. He conjured a tourniquet from midair and tried to stop the bleeding around the protrudence.

Harry heard the opposite wall explode, signaling the other team had made their entry. Scrambling to his feet, Harry took charge. "Clear out of there" he shouted at the group of Aurors by the wall he intended to open. "_Diffindo_" Harry shouted at the newly vacated wall. The brick siding crumbled away, revealing the inside of the downstairs. In rushed the Aurors, heads swiveling, and wands pointed up and around the rooms of the downstairs.

"You men clear the downstairs" Ron commanded the Aurors he entered with. "Me and Harry will take the upstairs with the second team."

Harry vaulted up the stairs two at a time, his movement covered by first Ron, then the rest of the second team. Harry swept right at the top of the stair, Ron taking the left. They cleared their respective rooms while the rest of the team was making their way up the stairs, albeit much more cautiously. Upon reaching the final room, Ron waited for Harry. They shared a look, and braced themselves for the coming battle. Harry gripped the door handle, he gave it a gentle turn and found it surprisingly unlocked.

The door opened easily, even quietly. Harry stepped boldly forward, followed closely by Ron. The door clicked shut behind them, dissolving quietly from view. "That's not good" Harry commented softly to Ron.

"We meet at last, Mr. Potter" wheezed a voice from the shadows.

A nod from Ron prompted Harry to speak. "Mr. Freach you are under arrest for the conspiracy and attempted murder of-" a jet of red light broke the cut through the air. Ron was quicker and raised a shield charm silently, but it was not enough. The stunner passed right through the shield and landed a blast flat on Ron's chest, throwing him against the wall unconscious. '_Kill the spare_' flashed through his head as the disheveled and stooped man stumped out of the shadows. To be so heavy footed, he made hardly a sound.

"It has been my attempt these last few weeks to kill you, Mr. Potter. And now I will finally succeed" he said in a soft speech that Harry barely heard.

Joe was on the containment crew. It was his and his colleagues' job to make sure nothing passed their perimeter. Their mission was somewhat disjointed since the explosion. Their duty to their fellow man overcame their orders of containment. Joe, with his team, was attempting to tend those that had been injured by the explosion of that enchanted washing machine.

While the world was still fairly fuzzy, Ron could most definitely hear shouts and see flashes of lights. He rolled over and tried to shake the cobwebs from his rafters. He looked up and was sobered by the sight. Harry and Freach were dueling, a harder duel Ron had not seen. Killing curses and stunning charms flew, walls were pockmarked with blast spells, and the combatant dodged and turned, showing a dance that could not be choreographed.

"I could use the help here, Ron" Harry shouted as he dodged yet another killing curse from Freach, but was not able to parry the severing curse that slashed his thigh. Harry cried out in pain which sprung Ron from his curse induced stupor.

"Surely you didn't forget this one" Ron yelled back. As he blocked another stunner, with a little more _umph_ this time, he cast a most elementary spell. As Freach was preoccupied with Harry, he allowed Ron's cry of "_Expelliarmus_" to pass through his defenses. Freach's wand flew through the air, hovering suspended in front of all three men before clattering to the floor at Harry's feet.

"Well done, Ron" Harry said breathlessly and with a hint of a smile on his pale and drawn lips. He reached over and picked up the considerably shorter wand, "I guess size doesn't matter" Harry remarked with a full grin.

"Now" Ron reasserted, drawing Harry's attention back to the matter at hand. "You, sir, are under arrest." With a huff and a swing of his head, Edmund took a step towards them but stopped short and looked between them.

"Oh, that's right" Freach sneered, "I am a real wizard" and with a shove of both his hands, he propelled Harry and Ron away from the wall and onto the floor behind him. "Until tomorrow, gents" he said with his clearest voice yet. Freach clawed at the air in front of the wall and with a rumbling shake it gave way and fell to the outside. From this hole he jumped.

Joe looked up at the explosion from the house. The commotion had greatly quieted down since the insertion of the breach teams and no one had expected to see a part of the house, from which there was not supposed to be a part, almost cave in. Out came a black shrouded figure, his clothes billowing on his way to the ground, right above Joe. Joe saw the evil smirk descending.

Harry and Ron scrambled for the jagged hole and looked outside, seeing nothing in the outlying fields and wood surrounding the house. "Shit. Let's go" Harry swore before jumping out of the hole in the wall, followed fearlessly by Ron. They started purposefully forward until halted by a voice calling behind them.

"I was wonderin' where y'all got to" called a man sitting on a bundle, leaning against the side of the house. Upon closer inspection, Harry and Ron noticed that the bundle was moving, wriggling to be exact. The wriggling bundle also had a face, the disgusted, angry face of Edmund Freach, becoming increasingly red due to the pressure of another grown man sitting on him.

"Geroffme, you stinking mudblood" spat Freach through pants of air.

A sharp elbow into the kidney subdued the tied convict with a satisfying squeak, "I resemble that remark" Joe said in mock indignation. "Harry" Joe said, suddenly serious. "Robards wants to talk to you" he remembered. "It's not lookin' good" he sullenly finished, dragging Freach up by the magical bands that restrained him. Ron assisted Joe in frog-marching Edmund to the perimeter to apparate back to the ministry holding floor, and wait to be debriefed by Fellows.

Harry jogged over to the area of grass charred by the explosion and littered with the debris of it. Robards was being tended by two medics from St. Mungos, who stopped their work for a second to shake a head solemnly and Harry. "Harry" Robards called faintly. "Get out, you silly gits" he shouted with more enthusiasm at the medics, waving wildly at them.

Harry appeared at his side quickly to quell his flailing arms. The once strong, proud man was a sight. His face was covered in blood, some dried and congealed but more still was flowing. His eyes were blackened and swollen to squints. He was missing an ear, and half of one hand. Random bandages were tied over his chest and torso in various places, soaked and stained with his blood. "Yes, sir" Harry answered quietly.

He reached up and grabbed Harry by the collar with incredible strength considering his condition. "Did we get him" he asked, his speech slurred and a dribble of blood leaked out of the corner of his mouth.

"We got him, sir. Ron is taking him back now" Harry answered, surprised at the attack.

Seemingly unfazed by the answer, Robards just let go, but continued to stare at Harry. "Earn this" he croaked. "James, earn this" and with a bob of his Adam's Apple he looked through Harry. His pupils glazed over and grew to fill his irises.

_**About two days later**_

Joe answered the door, sliding his arm into the sleeve of his undershirt and pulling his shirttail around his middle. The face that greeted him was not warm and friendly, nor was it pensive and concerned. The face that greeted him was of striking beauty, and harshest resolve expressed over her face. "H-hello" Joe managed to stammer at the surprising visit.

"Here" she said coldly, shoving bundle of clothes into Joe's chest. "Work your magic on these stains." Joe made no remark at this ironic turn of phrase, but watched as her eyes moved over him and a small smile played on her lips before she spun from the doorway, her raven hair billowing behind her.

"I did a number on these," remarked Joe as he held the purple blouse to the light, black spots obviously evident. A small pop woke him from the reverie caused by the inescapable aroma surrounding the shirt.

"Oi, Joe. Ruck up. Harry's got a lead on those exploding door handles in Hampton" shouted Ron from Joe's kitchen.

"Yeah, alright" Joe called back, extracting a small strip of paper with an address on the front.

"C'mon. Hurry up" Ron said again, now standing beside him. "Why've you got your shirt on backwards" he asked bemused, flicking the tag on Joe's chest.

"Damnit" Joe sighed and threw the clothes into the trash can in the corner.

**Alright, what did you think of the ending? Did it answer some questions, but open more? If you have any incredibly pressing question, comment and I'll add a postscript and try to answer some. Keep an eye out for my next story. I'll give you a title in a future post. Thanks again, guys!  
**


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